Hickory Hill Plantation - Illinois’ The Old Slave House
Hickory Hill Plantation in Equality, Illinois - Also known as the Crenshaw House or the Old Slave House is a mansion that was built in 1838 by John Crenshaw (November 19, 1797 – December 4, 1871) and his brother Abraham. Crenshaw owned vast salt mines and used his slaves to haul and boil the brackish water of Southern Illinois for salt. He owned over 740 slaves and was a known member of the “reversal underground railroad”, meaning he kidnapped free slaves and sold them or used them in his salt mines. It is also said that the house once had a tunnel that connected the basement to the Saline River, where slaves could be loaded and unloaded at night. He was charged with kidnapping and slave trafficking on several occasions. He kept a number of slaves in barred, cramped cells in the third floor attic of the mansion. There were reports that the mansion was haunted as early as 1851 with reports of people hearing strange sounds, mysterious voices, and moaning coming from the attic.
This is the resting place of the Chesterville Witch. Years and years ago she was banished from the town for being a Witch and when she died she was buried here and a tree was grown on top of the grave to keep her spirit locked in the ground.
Photo from Haunted Hartford Castle - Hartford, Illinois
Illinois’ Haunted Voorhies Castle
Located on a lonely stretch of highway in eastern Central Illinois is an isolated village called Voorhies. There is very little left of the town these days, save for a few houses, an abandoned church and of course, Voorhies Castle. While most of the stories about the place have died out over the years and the house has become little more than a forgotten curiosity, it was once regarded as one of the most haunted houses in the state. The place became the perfect model for a “haunted house on the prairie”.
The story of Voorhies Castle began in 1867 with the arrival of a Swedish immigrant named Nels Larson in America. He rented 60 acres of land from a wealthy landowner named William Voorhies and set out on his own. Later, he bought a large parcel of property from his former employer near the small town of Voorhies. Also in 1872, Larson sent for his fiancée, Johannah Nilson, who was still living in Sweden at that time. Later that same year, they were married.
Larson continued to buy more land, and lease other parcels and soon had a number of farmers working for him, renting his property in exchange for a portion of the proceeds from the harvest. The small town of Voorhies, which Larson owned, was also growing, consisting of small businesses and tenant homes rented by Larson’s farmers. The town also contained a church, a general store, a grain elevator, a corn crib and several barns. There was also a barber shop, a jeweler, a blacksmith and a postmaster.
By 1900, Larson was firmly entrenched as the “ruler” of his vast domain, consisting of tenants, farms, land, various businesses and even an entire village. He had lived in several houses around the area, but now decided that he needed a manor house to from which to oversee his property. This house, later dubbed “Voorhies Castle”, would be patterned after a chalet in his native Sweden. The house was a strange mixture of styles and eccentricities, with towers, wide doors, a huge dining room, pocket doors, massive fireplaces, two parlors (one for men and one for women), an indoor bathroom, a primitive water and plumbing system that pushed water from the basement using compressed air, a hot air furnace and a lighting system that used dangerous carbide gas.The system was very hazardous and Larson had to obtain special permission from his insurance company to have it installed. Once the system was in place, light fixtures and wall-bracketed lamps were added in most of the rooms. The house would never be equipped with an actual electrical system during the period when the Larson family lived here.
The most eccentric addition to the estate came in 1910, as a clock tower barn that Larson insisted be included on the property. The stories say that Larson had a fascination, or perhaps obsession, with clocks. They could be found all over the house, from the large grandfather clock in the reception area to small timepieces scattered on the top of the wooden trunk in his bedroom.
One day in 1905, he decided that he wanted to install a large clock in his barn. However, the barn that he now had would not work for this so he ordered it dismantled and sold to a neighbor. He would construct a new barn and place the clock in this one. He ordered a Seth Thomas clock from a jeweler in Monticello and began construction on the new building. The work on the barn took almost five years to complete, even longer than it took to build the house. The new structure had to be equipped with a 68 foot tall tower and had to be given enough support that it could hold the nearly two ton clock mechanism.
Legend states that the clock mysteriously struck 13 times at the moment of Nels Larson’s death, as though the man and the machine were somehow connected. The stories went on to say that the clock continued this odd activity for five decades, ringing out on the anniversary of its owner’s passing. The clock tower remained an odd landmark on the prairie until the summer of 1976, when it was destroyed by a tornado. It has been said that the now phantom clock continues to chime each March 29, at the very hour that Nels Larson passed from this world to the next.
GHOSTS & LEGENDS OF VOORHIES CASTLE
The Larson family resided in the house for a number of years and during this time, at least one of the numerous legends of the house began. The stories alleged that Nels and Johannah Larson had another child in addition to George and Ellen Larson. It was said this child was severely retarded and was kept chained in a small, hidden room in the house. It has been said that in later years, visitors to the house claimed to hear the sound of phantom chains rattling inside of the walls. The validity of this story is unknown as volunteers from the Illinois Pioneer Heritage Center searched the house for this room in the 1960’s but were unable to find it.
The most mysterious event to occur in the house took place in 1914, when Johannah died. Many have speculated that she had a heart attack on the staircase, but the real cause of her death remains a mystery to this day. One of the field hands had gone to the house one afternoon to find her lying in a crumpled heap on the floor. Nels Larson was so stunned by this event that he left the house that night and went to Ellen’s home in Cerro Gordo…. never to return. All of the clothing and furniture and even his personal belongings were left behind.He never returned to the house, abandoning everything that had been left there. The house seemed trapped in time with clothing in the closets, the table still set for dinner, Johannah’s apron hanging over the back of a chair and even food still sitting on the cold stove.
Johannah was gone…but did she ever really leave the house, even after death? Legends stated that on certain nights, an eerie light could be seen coming from the east tower of the house. Those who were brave enough to venture onto the property claimed to see Johannah framed in the window of the room.
Nels Larson died in 1923 and his will specified that the house should remain in the family. The problem was that no one in the family wanted to live there because the house had no electricity. So, the house was abandoned and remembered only by time and the elements.
Over the years, a number of tenants moved into the house but none stayed for long. It’s likely that they were chased away by the deteriorating conditions of the house more so than by the ghosts. However, the rapid succession of tenants and the spooky atmosphere of the place combined to give the Castle a ghostly reputation. The stories grew and became more embellished as the years went by. It was said that someone died of fright in the house and the imprint of his or her body was still pressed into a couch in the living room. There was also said to be a pillar in the west parlor, which once held a large fern, that would inexplicably spin around under its own power. Reports said it spun so much that it eventually wore down into a circular area on the floor.
In 1967, the grandchildren of Nels Larson donated the Castle to the Illinois Pioneer Heritage Center in Monticello. The Center opened the house as a tourist attraction, reportedly drawing up to 30,000 visitors each year. They came to view the unique architecture of the place… and to soak up some of the ghostly ambiance. The house was simply too expensive to take care of and after a short time it was closed down once again.
The Castle was once again empty, with only caretakers to watch over the house on occasion. The caretakers claimed that the lights in the house refused to stay off and that windows would often open on their own. One of them also claimed that he would often close up the house, turn off the lights and make sure all of the windows were closed and locked. By the time he would get outside to his car, the lights would be on again and several of the windows would have slipped open.
Another caretaker reported eerie sounds inside of the house and described them as footsteps on the stairs and the sound of piano keys clinking in the darkness. It was suggested rodents or animals in the house could cause these sounds, but he insisted that this was not the case. He finally quit working there, another witness told me, after he was startled one night by a shadowy figure in the east tower. He was convinced that he had seen a ghost.
The odd stories about the house never seemed to stop and it became a favorite “haunt” for late night curiosity-seekers. Many local adults and especially teenagers and college students from Champaign, Mattoon, Charleston and the surrounding area came to Voorhies Castle for after-dark excursions. Many of them claimed to have bizarre experiences and brushes with the supernatural. Many spoke of apparitions, seeing glowing balls of light, sounds that had no explanation, ghostly footsteps, flashlights that suddenly stopped working, and even more.
The legends, and alleged eyewitness accounts, concerning Voorhies Castle were enough to attract the attention of a parapsychology group from the University of Illinois. The tales of strange phenomena were just too bizarre, and too numerous to ignore, so they decided to enlist the aid of Chicago psychic Irene Hughes. However, once arriving at the house, she refused to stay inside or to conduct any investigations.
The house was eventually sold but over the course of the next few years, it was frequently vacant and began to deteriorate again. The decay of the mansion became the biggest problem that all of the new owners and tenants would face… along with fending off the sightseers, for whom the ghostly landmark was still an attraction. Several of the more recent owners have made valiant attempts to restore the house and have done everything possible to discourage visitors from coming to the house. If you are the sort of reader who likes to experience the haunted places you read about, you may want to give Voorhies Castle a wide berth, as trespassers are usually unwelcome.
As you can see, the legends of Voorhies Castle are as haunting as the house has always been said to be, leaving a number of unanswered questions. Is it possible that the haunting has somehow just faded away over the years? Many believe this to be the case. But what if whatever was there still remains? What if it is just resting now, and waiting for some night, perhaps in the distant future, when the haunting will begin again? I suppose only time will tell…..
Troy Taylor - http://www.prairieghosts.com/voorhies.html
Chicago’s Haunted Rosehill Cemetery
Rosehill Cemetery began in 1859, taking its name from a nearby tavern keeper named Roe, and the place becoming “Roes Hill”. In time, the name was slightly altered and became “Rosehill”. The cemetery is the oldest and the largest and in Chicago and serves as the final resting place of more than 1500 notable Chicagoans, including a number of Civil War generals, mayors, former millionaires, local celebrities and early founders of the city….. there are also a number of deceased Chicagoans who are not some peacefully at rest and they serve to provide the cemetery with its legends of ghosts and strange happenings. What many don’t realize is that Rosehill was not the first cemetery created publicly in the city. The first was located where Lincoln Park can now be found. It was disbanded the graves were moved to other sites, thus creating a cemetery at Rosehill. Perhaps the most famous ghostly site is the mausoleum that belongs to Charles Hopkinson, a real estate tycoon from the middle 1800’s. In his will, he left plans for his mausoleum to serve as a shrine to the memory of he and his family. When he died in 1885, a miniature cathedral was designed to serve as the tomb. Construction was started and then halted when the property owners behind the Hopkinson site took the family to court. The claimed that the cathedral tomb would block the view of their site. The case proceeded all of the way to the Illinois Supreme Court, which ruled that the other family had no say over what sort of monument the Hopkinson family built and they they should have expected that something could block the view of their site. Shortly after, construction on the site continued. Despite the fact that the courts ruled in the favor of Hopkinson, it is said that on the anniversary of the real estate investor’s death, a horrible moaning sound can be heard coming from the tomb, followed by what appears to be sound of rattling chains. Ghost lore is fill of tales of the deceased returning from the grave to protest the way they were laid to rest…. and Rosehill Cemetery is no exception to this sort of legend. In October of 1995, one of the grounds keepers at the cemetery reported that he had seen a woman on the grounds of the cemetery. She had been standing next to a tree near the wall that shielded the cemetery from Peterson Avenue. The man said that he got out of his truck and approached the woman. The cemetery was closed at the time and he was going to tell her that she had to leave. When he got close to her, he realized that the woman, who was dressed in some sort of flowing garment, seemed to be floating off of the ground. Then, she became a mist and slowly disappeared. The grounds keeper rushed to the cemetery office to report the incident. Strangely, the next day, a woman from Des Plaines called the cemetery office and requested that a marker be placed on the grave of her aunt. The grave had previously been an unmarked one but the aunt had appeared to her in a dream the night before and told her that she wanted her grave marked, so that she could be remembered. The grave was located in an old family plot and staff members went out to the site to verify the location and to see what type of marker was needed. They were amazed to find that the site was the exact spot where the apparition had been seen the night before! The stone was ordered and the apparition was never seen again. The Rosehill Cemetery Mausoleum was proposed in 1912 and the cemetery appealed to the elite businessmen of the city for the funds to begin construction. These men were impressed with the idea and enjoyed the thought of entire family rooms in the mausoleum that could be dedicated to their families alone and could be decorated to their style and taste. One of the subscribers was John G. Shedd, the president of Marshall Field from 1909 to 1926 and the man who donated the wonderful Shedd Aquarium to Chicago. Shedd’s family room is one of the most beautiful portions of the building. The chapel outside the room features chairs that are carved in images depicting shells and sea horses and the window inside bathes the room with a blue haze that makes the place appear to be under water. For this window, Shedd commissioned the artisan Louis Comfort Tiffany and made him sign a contract that said he would never create another window like it. There have been no ghost stories associated with John Shedd, but there are others entombed in the structure who may not have found the peace that Shedd found. Two of them men also laid to rest in the building are Aaron Montgomery Ward and his bitter business rival, Richard Warren Sears. One has to wonder if wither of these men could rest in peace with the other man in the same structure…. but it is the ghost of Sears who has been seen walking through the mausoleum at night. The business pioneer has been spotted, wearing a top hat and tails, leaving the Sears family room and walking the hallways from his tomb to that of Ward’s. Perhaps the rivalry that plagued his life continues on after death….. The last ghostly tale associated with Rosehill is perhaps my favorite….. possibly because of the tragic and romantic aspects of the story. This tale involves a monument which was moved from the Old City Cemetery to Rosehill. It is the grave monument of Frances Pearce. It is sort of lost amongst all of the other monuments at Rosehill, but if you can find it, it is well worth the search. The monument depicts the life-sized images of Frances and her infant daughter, reclining on top of the stone. The figures are encased in one of the glass boxes that are often seen in Chicago, which are designed to protect the easily damaged marble from the elements. Frances was married to a man named Horatio Stone in the middle 1800’s. They were apparently very much in love and lived a happy life together until suddenly, France died at the age of only 20 in 1854. Four months later, her infant daughter followed her to the grave. Horatio was nearly destroyed by these events and he commissioned a memorial statue of Frances and their daughter to be placed at their mutual grave site in Lincoln Park. Later, the graves and the monument were moved to Rosehill. According to legend, on the anniversary of their deaths, a white haze fills the glass box that has been placed over the monument as the mother and daughter reach out from the other side to the husband and father who was left behind.
Resurrection Mary: Chicago’s Hitchiking Ghost
Although stories of “vanishing hitchhikers” in Chicago date back to the horse and buggy days, Mary’s tale begins in the 1930’s. It was around this time that drivers along Archer Avenue started reporting strange encounters with a young woman in a white dress. She always appeared to be real, until she would inexplicably vanish. The reports of this girl began in the middle 1930’s and started when motorists passing by Resurrection Cemetery began claiming that a young woman was attempting to jump onto the running boards of their automobiles.
Not long after, the woman became more mysterious, and much more alluring. The strange encounters began to move further away from the graveyard and closer to the O Henry Ballroom, which is now known as the Willowbrook. She was now reported on the nearby roadway and sometimes, inside of the ballroom itself. On many occasions, young men would meet a girl at the ballroom, dance with her and then offer her a ride home at the end of the evening. She would always accept and offer vague directions that would lead north on Archer Avenue. When the car would reach the gates of Resurrection Cemetery, the young woman would always vanish.
More common were the claims of motorists who would see the girl walking along the road. They would offer her a ride and then witness her vanishing from their car. These drivers could describe the girl in detail and nearly every single description precisely matched the previous accounts. The girl was said to have light blond hair, blue eyes and was wearing a white party dress. Some more attentive drivers would sometimes add that she wore a thin shawl, or dancing shoes, and that she had a small clutch purse.
Others had even more harrowing experiences. Rather than having the girl vanish for their car, they claimed to actually run her down in the street. They claimed to see a woman in a white dress bolt in front of their car near the cemetery and would actually describe the sickening thud as she was struck by the front of the car. When they stopped to go to her aid, she would be gone. Some even said that the automobile passed directly through the girl. At that point, she would turn and disappear through the cemetery gates.
Bewildered and shaken drivers began to appear almost routinely in nearby businesses and even at the nearby Justice, Illinois police station. They told strange and frightening stories and sometimes they were believed and sometimes they weren’t. Regardless, they created an even greater legend of the vanishing girl, who would go on to become Resurrection Mary.
But who is this young woman, or at least who was she when she was alive?
Most researchers agree that the most accurate version of the story concerns a young girl who was killed while hitchhiking down Archer Avenue in the early 1930’s. Apparently, she had spent the evening dancing with a boyfriend at the O Henry Ballroom. At some point, they got into an argument and Mary (as she has come to be called) stormed out of the place. Even though it was a cold winter’s night, she thought, she would rather face a cold walk home than another minute with her boorish lover.
She left the ballroom and started walking up Archer Avenue. She had not gotten very far when she was struck and killed by a passing automobile. The driver fled the scene and Mary was left there to die.
Her grieving parents buried her in Resurrection Cemetery, wearing a white dress and her dancing shoes. Since that time, her spirit has been seen along Archer Avenue, perhaps trying to return to her grave after one last night among the living.
It has never been known just who the earthly counterpart of Mary might have been.
Over the years, there have been many sightings and encounters with the ghost alleged to be “Resurrection Mary”. Dozens of young men have told of picking up the same girl, or meeting her at the ballroom, only to have her disappear from their car. Perhaps the most believable encounter with Mary took place in 1939 and involved a young man named Jerry Palus.
The majority of the reports seem to come from the cold winter months, like the account passed on by a cab driver. He picked up a girl who was walking along Archer Avenue one night in 1941. It was very cold outside, but she was not wearing a coat. She jumped into the cab and told him that she needed to get home very quickly. She directed him along Archer Avenue and a few minutes later, he looked back and she was gone. He realized that he was passing in front of the cemetery when she disappeared.
The stories continued but perhaps the strangest account of Mary was the one that occurred on the night of August 10, 1976. This event has remained so bizarre after all this time because on this occasion, Mary did not just appear as a passing spirit. It was on this night that she left evidence behind!
A driver was passing by the cemetery around 10:30 that night when he happened to see a girl standing on the other side of the gates. He said that when he saw her, she was wearing a white dress and grasping the iron bars of the gate. The driver was considerate enough to stop down the street at the Justice police station and alert them to the fact that someone had been accidentally locked in the cemetery at closing time. An officer responded to the call but when he arrived there was no one there. The graveyard was dark and deserted and there was no sign of any girl.
But his inspection of the gates, where the girl had been seen standing, did reveal something. The revelation chilled him to the bone! He found that two of the bars in the gate had been pulled apart and bent at sharp angles. To make things worse, at the points on the green-colored bronze where they had been pried apart were blackened scorch marks. Within these marks was what looked to be skin texture and handprints that had been seared into the metal with incredible heat.
The marks of the small hands made big news and curiosity-seekers came from all over the area to see them. In an effort to discourage the crowds, cemetery officials attempted to remove the marks with a blowtorch, making them look even worse. Finally, they cut the bars off and installed a wire fence until the two bars could be straightened or replaced.
The cemetery emphatically denied the supernatural version of what happened to the bars. They claimed that a truck backed into the gates while doing sewer work at the cemetery and that grounds workers tried to fix the bars by heating them with a blowtorch and bending them. The imprint in the metal, they said, was from a workman trying to push them together again. While this explanation was quite convenient, it did not explain why the marks of small fingers were clearly visible in the metal.
The bars were removed to discourage onlookers, but taking them out had the opposite effect and soon, people began asking what the cemetery had to hide. The events allegedly embarrassed local officials, so they demanded that the bars be put back into place. Once they were returned to the gate, they were straightened and painted over with green paint so that the blackened area would match the other bars. Unfortunately though, the scorched areas continued to defy all attempts to cover them and the twisted spots where the handprints had been impressed remained obvious until just recently, when the bars were removed for good.
During the 1970’s and 1980’s, Mary sightings reached their peak. People from many different walks of life, from cab drivers to ministers said they had picked her up and had given her rides. It was during this period that Resurrection Cemetery was undergoing some major renovations and perhaps this was what caused her restlessness.
During the 1990’s, reports of Mary slacked off, but they have never really stopped altogether. They continue to occur today and while many of the stories are harder to believe these days, as the tales of Mary have infiltrated our culture to such a degree that almost anyone with an interest in ghosts has heard of her, some of the stories still appear to be chillingly real.
So, who is Mary and does she exist? Many remain skeptical about her, but I have found that this doesn’t really seem to matter. You see, people are still seeing Mary walking along Archer Avenue at night. Drivers are still stopping to pick up a forlorn figure who seems inadequately dressed in the winter months, when encounters are most prevalent. Curiosity-seekers still come to see the gates where the twisted and burned bars were once located and some even roam the graveyard, hoping to stumble across the place where Mary’s body was laid to rest.
Who is she? No one knows but that has not stopped the stories, tales and even songs from being spun about her. She remains an enigma and her legend lives on, not content to vanish, as Mary does when she reaches the gates to Resurrection Cemetery.
You see, our individual belief, or disbelief, does not really matter. Mary lives on anyway. I doubt that we will ever know who she really was, or why she haunts this peculiar stretch of roadway. And, in all honesty, I don’t suppose that I ever really want to know who she was. I guess that prefer Mary to remain just as she is, a mysterious, elusive and romantic spirit of the Windy City.
Ghost Box, Spirit Box, Frank’s Box - Communication with the Dead
The argument has been made that Thomas Edison was working on a ghost communication device – a ghost box of sorts, to contact the dead. However, there are many Edison experts that would argue that it was only legend, a myth that is untrue. They will point out that he neither believed in the afterlife, nor did he believe spirits and ghosts could be contacted through an electronic device. Whatever the truth behind Edison, one has to believe it makes a good story and backdrop to the ghost box. Even more intriguing, some today claim they are in contact with Thomas Edison via the ghost box, but many respected researchers of the latest ghost box technology have yet to make contact with the famous, dead inventor. That brings us to the latest development of the ghost box. EVP or electronic voice phenomena was discovered in the late ‘50s, and has become well known today thanks to numerous TV shows featuring ghost investigators. Many are not aware of the two-way communication devices called ghost boxes. Following on the heels of the Spiricom , a ghost box of sorts that many believe to be the first two-way communication device between the earthly realm and the spiritual realm, Frank’s box truly was the first of its kind. Frank’s Box is a ghost box that produces random voltage to create raw audio from an AM tuner, where it is then amplified and then fed into an echo chamber and recorded. In short, ghost boxes such as Frank’s box create audio bits and white noise that ghosts and/or spirits can then manipulate into forming words – real time two-way communication. Frank Sumption was the original inventor of the ghost box, as he conceived of the idea by experimenting with Stefan Bion’s EVPMaker software to record EVP, and was also inspired by an October 1995 Popular Electronics Magazine article that asked, “Are the dead trying to communicate with us through electronic means? Try these experiments and see for yourself.” Today Frank is experimenting on various improvements to his ghost box design. Most other ghost boxes are not random band sweeping, but linear sweeping of the AM or FM bands. That is not to say other bands, such as shortwave, weather, etc are not being experimented with by Frank and other Instrumental Trans-communication experimenters. Others since have developed their own ghost boxes, such as Paranormal System’s “MiniBox” and Joe Cioppi’s “Joe’s Box.” The ghost box can be used for EVP, as it can be recorded, then analyzed for messages from spirits and ghosts. However, what makes the ghost box unique is that it can be heard audibly through either an external speaker or headset, where responses from the other side can be heard and responded to live – not unlike chatting with someone by walkie-talkie. It does require the user to train his or her ear to hear the messages that are brought forth, as the noise and audio bits can at times be somewhat distracting. But if one experiments long enough with a ghost box, it will become apparent that the audio sound bites and white noise will begin to be manipulated to form answers to questions, phrases and more. For this reason alone, we recommend recording all sessions and listening to them later. Upon playback, one might be amazed at what is captured in the audio. The function of the ghost box and how it works seems to be affected by the strength of radio signals in an area. Poor signal quality reduces the ability for spirits and ghosts to make contact through the device. Perhaps there is not enough audio bits to be manipulated successfully for real-time communication. That would indicate that enhancing the antenna on these devices could improve results by the researcher, according to Bruce Halliday. The biggest debate over the ghost box might be just who in the heck is coming through these devices? Are they spirits? Ghosts? Demons (the religious ask)? Aliens? Our own projected thoughts? The research continues in this area, but many believe both ghosts, spirits and beings from another realm are making contact through the ghost box. Experimenters have received positive, good messages, as well as negative and cursing messages. This would indicate that perhaps the range of messengers who are able to manipulate this device into audible words is broad. Some believe that there are spirits from the light called “controls” or “operators” who work to establish contact and can bring other spirits and ghosts forward through the ghost box. Some of these same operators have been recorded coming through different ghost boxes by different people in different geographical locations. This would lead one to think that operators are involved from the other side in order to try and organize a grid of control and functionality. Whatever the case may hold to be true, it does appear that one’s connection with the other side seems to influence how good and what type of results will be experienced through the ghost box. It just may be that those who are recording the best results might be psychic in nature, truly connected with the spirit realm prior to the existence of any ghost box.
Jane Addams Hull House: Closing in Spring
This week, the Jane Addams Hull House Association announced it could no longer balance its books and planned to shut down this spring.
Addams noted upon moving in that the building had a “half skeptical reputation for a haunted attic.”[29] Over the years, numerous stories of ghosts and hauntings have surrounded Hull House, making it a stop on many of the “ghosts in Chicago” tours. Charles Hull’s wife had died in the house in 1860, and is sometimes thought to haunt it.[30] Other candidates for resident ghosts include the many people who died there of natural causes in the 1870s when it was used as a home for the aged by the Little Sisters of the Poor.[30]
In 1913, another Hull House ghost story began circulating. According to this legend, after a man claimed that he would rather have the Devil in his house than a picture of The Virgin Mary, his child was born with pointed ears, horns, scale-covered skin, and a tail. The mother was said to have taken the baby to Hull House, where Addams was said to have attempted to have it baptized and wound up locking it in the attic.[31] While initially annoyed about the story, which had no basis in fact, Addams became fascinated by the effect the episode had on old women in the neighborhood and used the episode as a basis for her book, The Long Road of Woman’s Memory.[32]
While a great many erroneous stories have circulated about the building, Addams is known to have spoken to several friends about one of the front bedrooms on the second floor being haunted - she and a friend once thought they saw a “woman in white” ghost there, and the same ghost was later seen by a group of girls when the room was used as a dressing room for the adjacent theatre. Though Addams called it “haunted,” she seems to have been more amused than frightened by it
Angelology: Celestial Who’s Who
Celestial Who’s Who A’albiel: Services the Archangel Michael. Abaddon: Angel meaning “destruction”, sometimes known as a good angel that servers God or a fallen angel. Abaddon has been seen as an angel of the judgment of heaven or an angel that hell claims as an ally. Abariel: An angel called upon in ceremonial magic, for invoking spirits and other angels Abathar Muzania: an angel-like being, existing in Mandean culture (a Gnostic following that prospered in the first and second century AD). This angel weighs the souls of the dead and determines their worthiness. Abariel: An angel used in invoking, during ceremonial magic Abdals: Seventy different spirits who only God knows their identity. They are a group of mysterious beings in Islamic lore. Abel (Meadow): Judges Souls entering heaven. He is on of the 12 Powers Achaiah: A seraphim of patience and discoverer of the secrets of nature. Af Bri: An angel who controls the rain Aha: an angel of Dominions who is a spirit of power. He is used in cabalistic magical ceremonies. Ahadiel: Enforcer of the law. Akattrielah Yelod Sabaoth: “Lord of Hosts” Jews believe this angel to be powerful and stands above other angels Al- Zabamiyah: Nineteen angels in the Koran. They are the Islamic guards in their view of hell. Anael: One of the seven angels of creation. He is Prince of the Archangels. Anahila: An angel in the Zoroastrian religion that is high ranking Angels of Childbirth: Seventy Amulet angels Angels of Fire: Nathaniel, Arel, Atuniel, Johoel, Ardarel, Gabriel, Seraph, Uriel Angels of Love: Rahmiel, Raphael, Donquel Angels of Mysteries: Raziel, Gabriel Angels of Prayer: Akatriel, Gabriel, Metatron, Rachael, Sandalphon, Sizouse, Michael Angels of Rain: Matriel, Matarel, Matariel Angels of Wind: Moriel, Ruhiel, Rujiel Anthriel: an angel representing balance and harmony. This angel can keep someone calm in extreme circumstances Aralim: An angel that brings protection to the home and loved ones. Gives confidence, ego, pride, and self esteem Arariel: One of the Dominions and curer of stupidity. According to the Talmudists Arariel presides over the waters of the earth. Aratheil: Angel of the first hour of the night Arel: an angel called in ritual magic that represents fire. Beburoa: According to the Book of Revelation of Esdras, Beburoa will be one of the nine angels to rule over the end of the world. Cassiel (Kafziel): A leader of the Powers and is a high ranking angel that rules tears, temperance, and the day of Saturday. Cerviel: a member of the Principalities. According to the Catholic religion, he was sent to help David defeat Goliath. Chamuel (Camael, Kemuel): “He who seeks God”. He is an Archangel that had visited Christ in the garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem, giving him comfort before his crucifixion. This angel is supposed to have authority over the Angels of destruction and is a chief of the Powers. Djibril (Jibril): The Arabic word for Gabriel Gabriel: “Hero of God or “God is my strength” Gabriel is the messenger angel who is the “voice of God”. Muslims believe that Gabriel is the spirit of truth who dictated the Koran to Mohammed. Habriel: Member of the choir of angels called the Powers. This angel is often summon during magical rites in the Hebrew religion. Israfel: Angel of the Last Judgment and the Resurrection in Islamic lore. On judgment day, this angel is supposed to descend onto the earth, stand upon the holy rock in Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet to awaken the dead and the living to be judged. He is covered with hair and has several mouths and four wings. He sings the praises of Allah. Izrael: An angel of Islamic lore that will descend to earth with Israfel on Judgment Day. Michael: ” Who is God” or “Who is like God”. He is considered the warrior angle, for he defeated Lucifer in a heavenly battle. In Jewish tradition, he is the Guardian angel of Israel. In the Islam religion Michael has “…wings the color of green emeralds…covered with saffron hairs, each if them containing a million of faces which implore pardon of Allah”. Metatron: (Metatetron, Merraton, Metaraon) A great angel honored as the angel of presence, chief of ministering angels, chancellor of heaven, and whom maintained the world. Mik’ail: Arabic name for the Archangel Michael Phanuel: an angel of presence. Actually beholding face of God and spends time in is presence Raphael: “God heals” or “The shining one who heals”. Raphael is the guardian of the human race, especially the youth or those embarking on a spiritual quest. He represents haling and creativity. Satan: Also considered the leader of the fallen angels. He was seen as a “tempting angel”, serving the Lord. Satan stands for “the adversary”. He was appointed by God to tempt people and provide the Lord with a picture of their true faith. He was the most knowledgeable, beautiful, and beloved angel. He heads the angelic choirs of the Seraphim, Cherubim (depending on the source), and the Virtues. Satan, also known as Lucifer, had a large amount of pride; too much in fact. When God created man and commanded all the angels to bow down to humanity, Satan refused. He was the first angel to sin, to cross that barrier of obedience, for this he was cast down from Heaven. Semyaza: according to Jewish mythology, he is the leader of the fallen angels who descended into heaven and entered into unions with human women.
What is Cryptozoology?
What is Cryptozoology? By J.P. Bates By definition, cryptozoology is the study of hidden or unknown animals. Something that should also be noted is the fact that it is not recognized by the scientific community as a science. There are no degrees in it, and therefore, there is no such thing as a cryptozoologist. Many of you have probably heard people call themselves cryptozoologist though. But, in the words of a close friend ; “If I study biology, it doesn’t make me a biologist.” Makes sense, no? You must have a degree to be any kind of “ologist”. Personally (and this is merely my opinion, so it doesn’t really count for anything), I don’t think that cryptozoology will ever be considered a true science. And why should it? There isn’t much science involved. Really the closest thing to scientific method existent in this field is the gathering of evidence. I think the main reason that this field isn’t taken seriously is that so many people in it bring shame to the scientific community as a whole. Those who would call themselves “scientists” are merely people interested in finding what may or may not be there. This makes cryptozoology more of a hobby than it will ever be a science. The fact alone that anybody can do it makes it so controversial that the scientific community laughs upon it. Truely, anybody can take up this interesting and sometimes fruitful field. But beware, it is home of a brooding arrogance and self-centeredness that could turn your life upside-down. It is easy, as many cryptozoologists have shown, to become completely infatuated with oneself and gain that annoying “I’m always right, you’re always wrong” attitude that makes people wish they never met you. Although this arrogance isn’t extremely common in the field, it is dangerous when encountered. I ask, what is the point of being so narrow minded as to think you’re always right, no matter what? Especially in a field such as this! Without an open mind, one could easily go insane in this field. You must be able to realize that not every cryptid (a term for an animal under the cryptozoological microscope) has to be real, nor does it have to be what we think it is. If we finally track down the Sasquatch and prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that it was an escaped gorilla from the local zoo, there will be those who are glad the controversy is over. However, there will undoubtedly also be those who say “nah, that’s not true, its still out there.” What is cryptozoology if not the quest for truth? And if this quest is completed, what the hell was the point if all the people are only willing to believe their own truth? It would be wonderful if every cryptid turned out to be real, but…..it wouldn’t. A lot of people would be famous for doing it, but…..it would be so empty… The whole allure of cryptozoology is not only the search for the hidden, but the thrill of the hunt. People love things they can’t explain. Especially in a somewhat monotonous everyday life routine, its not only good for you to have a few kinks thrown in, but its also fun. Imagine a world where everything was explained? I’d rather not. So, is cryptozoology just a useless tool, an escape from the boring labors of everyday life? Perhaps, for some. But its also a quest for truth, an investigation in the mysteries of life, a look into the world of nature and trying to understand it. It would be moronic to believe that we know everything that resides in this world. There are things out there that defy our conventional scientific explanation, that science would rather not mess with because they can’t be proven. There are unexplainable mysteries that we haven’t even encountered yet, and questions left to be answered. So if the scientific community won’t investigate these things, and attempt to solve them, who will? There will always be those who search for the truth. The few who volunteer their time and resources to try and uncover the many mysteries of this world. Now, this burden lies on you. Good luck.
Introduction to Fairies
Introduction to Fairies The Spanish word hada comes from the Latin fata which, in turn, derived from fatum, meaning fate or destiny. In the middle Ages, the gentiles defined it as a divinity or unknown force, which had a fascinating effect on the other divinities and on men and events. The French word fée has a similar origin and resulted in the English words fey and fairie which, as time went by, suffered spelling variations from fayerye, fayre, faerie, faery, and fairy. According to its etymology, it is a fantastic being pictured as a woman known to have magical powers. For the Saxons, the word ferie refers to the world of fairies as an entity, being a geographical location. In Spanish it turned out to be féerico, depicting something wonderful or fantastic. The world of Fairies is a mixture of a mysterious enchantment, a charming beauty, but also of a huge ugliness, of insensitive shallowness, humor, malice, joy and inspiration, fear, laughter, love, and tragedy. It is richer than what we are usually induced to think by literature. In addition, extreme caution should be exercised to penetrate into this world, as nothing is more irritating to fairies than several human beings curiously moving around their extraordinary dominions, like spoiled tourists. Love, but also abandonment and death, may follow under their spell. Like human beings, they live in a universe of contradictions. Location of these elementary beings has varied throughout time and cultures. For the Irish, sometimes it was found in the horizon; other under their own feet; on other occasions, on hills, or in a magical island in the high seas or under the ocean. Air Spirits: Silfides The air element, featured by intelligence, represented by Spring and Dawn is inhabited by Sylphs in the form of butterflies. They control winds, help birds in their migrations and flowers in their pollination. Their light yellow- toned translucent appearance is present in the scent of wet herb threatening to rain. Water Spirits: Nymphs, Mermaids, Nereids, Naiads, Undines,and Water Goblins. The water element featured by love and cures, represented by Autumn and Sunset, is inhabited by nymphs, mermaids, nereids, and undines. They appear as mythological creatures in all liquids, such as seas, rivers, fresh water brooks, falls, and clouds. Their aspect vary depending on their habitat. Nereids rule the seas; undines called Naiads by the Greek, are found in lakes. They are mostly blue and a receptive energy. Like mermaids, they attract any sailor with their songs until they wreck. They are the ones channeling natural river beds. Earth Spirits: The Earth element is the most dense. It is represented by Winter and the night. It is inhabited by Ladies, goblins, gnomes, and trolls. They are mostly green, and have a receptive energy. Fairies or ladies are characterized by their kindness and for being the oldest inhabitants of the plant. They may either be imposing or tiny; their powers, however, are incredible and dominate nature. Fire Spirits: Salamanders The Fire element features both creation and destruction. It is represented by Summer, and daylight. It is inhabited by Salamanders, Farralis and Ra-Arus, appearing as reddish salamanders and dragons. They give the idea that with courage and imagination everything can be done. They send forth projective energy, and dominate the element. No fire would be ignited without their intervention. Gnomes: Since these elementary beings are earth spirits, they preferably work the soil and tree roots, to which they grant power. They look like funny little old men, as they belong to a race coming from the beginning of times. It is said that they inhabited the lost Atlantis. These tiny creatures build their homes under aging trees. They only go out at night and their home is lively after sunset. They are friends of animals, they speak their same language and protect them from danger. The best feasts are when the freezing winds blow over the woods dancing and playing, they start to run and some prefer rain for their dances.
Goblins and Elves
Goblins and Elves
These beings talk, laugh, are cautious, poor, rich, wise and crazy, just like all of us. They are the rough image of man, virtuous or vicious, pure or impure, better or worse.
Domestic Goblins:
They live inside houses or in the surroundings. For centuries they inhabited wild, woody, and mountainous areas, living inside caves or caverns until one of them approached the places where human beings lived, firstly for the sake of curiosity, then with the single objective of having fun. They appear preferably at night. They are about 50 cm- high and resemble man. They go out at night and love to have fun by dint of those sleeping. Even though most of them like to bother or frighten human beings, some of them, however, love to help men in domestic households. According to some experts, their names come from the Arabig word duar, meaning the one who inhabits or the inhabitant.
Elves
Elves are huge magical beings divided into two big categories:
The Ljsalfar (or Light Elves) and The Dopkalfar (or Darkness Elves).
Light Elves:
They dominate the change in appearance, have an etereous beauty, are one of the best disposition elves. They are translucent and blue colored.
There are other light elves with the ability to move over fire or inside wood and stone. They are called Elle-folk; can foretell the future, sing and compose a fascinating and enraptured music.
Dark Elves:
Like lobsters, they build their homes beneath the earth. They are frequently found in houses where they prefer dark corners, only visible at night. They may be of grey, brown, red or black colors. If a house has locks with no keys or small cracks in the wood, Elves shall come in through those tiny spaces. They have many names, such as Cauchemar, Qaalruter, Nachtmannle.
Gloom Elves:
They are the most numerous. They may be found in trees, plants, brooks or ponds. They are quite cautious and protected from the interference of strangers.
Imps:
These are some little devil looking- goblins, not linked to a house, but to a person to whom they assist and make him their owner. They are linked to witchcraft.
Sleep Goblins:
They belong to a strange family of aggressive and individualist goblins. They cause nightmares and choose women and children as their victims.
Demon Names and Rank in the Infernal Region
Demon Names and Rank in the Infernal Region (alphabetically)
Apollyon (Abaddon) : King of Demons
Abigor: Horseman with a scepter and lance, commanding 60 legions
Adremelech: Chancellor and High Council of Demons
Aguares : Grand Duke of Eastern region, commanding 30 legions
Alocer : Grand Duke , commanding 36 legions
Amduscius : Grand Duke, commanding 29 legions
Andras : Marquis , commanding 30 legions
Asmodeus (Asmoday) : Head of Casinos, banished to the desert by Raphael
Astaroth : Grand Duke of Western region, Lord Treasurer
Aym : Grand Duke , commanding 26 legions
Ayperos : Prince, commanding 36 legions
Azazel : Standard Bearer of Armies, also known as Satanael.
Baal : Commanding General of the Infernal Armies
Baalberith : Chief Secretary and Archivist (second order demon, Berith)
Balan : Prince
Bearded Demon : Remains nameless to avoid his use in search of the Philosopher’s Stone (King Solomon)
Beelzebub (Beelzebuth) : Prince of the Demons, Lord of the Flies, second only to Satan
Belial : Prince of Trickery, Demon of Sodomy
Belphegor : Demon of Ingenious discoveries and wealth
Buer : Second order demon but commands 50 legions
Caym : Grand President of the Infernal
Charon : Boatman who ferries souls across the river Styx
Chax : Grand Duke
Cresil : Demon of Impurity and slovinliness
Dagon : Baker and member of the House
Eurynomus : Prince who feeds on corpses
Furfur : Count , commanding 26 legions
Geryon : Giant centaur, guards hell
Jezebeth : Demon of Falsehoods
Kasdeya : According to the “Book of Enoch”, the fifth Satan
Kobal : Entertainment Director, patron of Comedy
Leonard : Inspector General of Black Magic and Sorcery
Leviathan : Grand Admiral: androgynous ( Christian myth says he seduced both Adam and Eve)
Lilith : Princess of Hell. ( Hebrew myth is that she is a succubus)
Malphas : Grand President, commanding 40 legions
Mammon : Demon of Avarice
Mastema : Leader of the offspring of fallen angels by humans
Melchom : Treasurer of the House
Mephistopheles : Some versions a servant of Lucifer, others Satan himself
Merihim : Prince of Pestilence
Moloch : Another demon of Hebrew lore
Mullin : Servant of the House of Princes, Lieutenant to Leonard
Murmur : Count, Demon of Music
Naburus : Marquis, connected with Cerberus
Nergal : Chief of Secret Police, second order demon
Nybras : Grand Publisist of Pleasures, inferior
Nysrogh : Chief of the House of Princes, second order demon
Orias : Marquis, Demon of Diabolic Astologers and Diviners
Paymon : Master of Ceremonies
Philatanus : Demon assisting Belial in furthering sodomy and pedophile behaviors
Proserpine : Princess of Hell ( some say, close to Persephone of Pagan traditions)
Pyro : Prince of Falsehoods
Raum : Count, commanding 30 legions
Rimmon : Ambassador from hell to Russia, also known as Damas
Ronwe : Inferior, yet commands 19 legions
Samael : Angel of Death, Prince of Air
Semiazas : Chief of Fallen Angels
Shalbriri : Demon that strikes people blind
Sonneillon : Demon of Hate (Michaelis )
Succorbenoth : Chief Eunuch of the House of Princes, Demon of Gates and Jealousy
Thamuz : Ambassador of hell, Creator of the Holy Inquisition, Inventor of Artillery
Ukobach : Stationary Engineer
Uphir : Demon physician
Valafar : Grand Duke
Verdelet : Master of Ceremonies of the House of Princes
Verin : Demon of Impatience
Vetis : demon who specializes in corrupting and tempting the holy
Xaphan : Stokes the furnace of hell, second order demon
Zaebros : Animal - human combination
Zagan : Demon of Deceit and counterfeiting
Demonology FAQ’s
Q: Are Ouija boards really dangerous?
A: It is not the Ouija board itself which is dangerous. The potential danger stems from the fact that by using a Ouija board to communicate with spirits (or any similar divination device), an individual is opening up his or her free will, thereby leaving oneself vulnerable to an invading spirit presence. There are a great many examples of individuals successfully contacting what at first appear to be “nice” spirits through the use of o Ouija board…only to have these spirits turn on them once they have gained a foothold. Demons can be very adept at masquerading as departed loved ones, even going so far as to reveal hidden knowledge, which was supposedly known only to the deceased…and this hidden information will often eventually prove to be verifiable. However, once demonic spirits have gained someone’s trust, they will then cleverly begin mixing lies with the truth, in an effort to confuse. Some individuals eventually become emotionally dependent upon these “spirit friends”…and a demonic presence will have no reservations about using a person’s loneliness or emotional vulnerabilities to gain a stronger foothold. By the time it is too late, and a hostile entity has revealed it’s true colors, the person who has unwittingly been communicating with these types of spirits will often find that they are much harder to get rid of, than they were to bring in. Also, under no circumstances should anyone ask a spirit to manifest itself (appear) to them through the use of a Ouija board…since a demonic spirit will consider this an open invitation to infiltrate that person’s life!
Q: How true to life are the events portrayed in “The Exorcist”?
A: “The Exorcist”, written by William Peter Blattey, is based upon an actual case of demonic possession, and the subsequent exorcism, of a fourteen-year-old boy, which took place in the U.S. in 1949. Some of the events are documented as having actually occurred, such as writing appearing on the boy’s flesh, and his ability (while under possession) of speaking in foreign languages. In the actual case, the exorcism eventually proved successful, and the boy went on to live a normal, healthy life. None of the priests involved actually died as the result of the exorcism, or became possessed themselves, although one priest did suffer a broken nose. Some of the more bizarre phenomena portrayed in both the book and the movie never actually happened, such as the head spinning and the “spider walk”. Some of the events portrayed in “The Exorcist”, however, when taken in context, are actually supposed to be telepathically projected into the minds of certain characters.
One thing I should mention about “The Exorcist” which happens to be very true to life, is that these types of parasitic, hostile entities are often initially and inadvertently “invited” in to begin oppressing certain individuals, through the use of a Ouija board.
Q: What exactly are Demons?
A: In the Judeo/Christian belief, demons are “fallen angels” who conspired against the Heavenly Kingdom under the leadership of Satan, were defeated by the Archangel Michael and the holy angels, and were cast out of the Heavenly Realm…banished to roam the earth and the earthly heavens. Although we know very little about this terrible incident, it is assumed to have taken place long before recorded human history. Demons, like Satan and like their angelic counterparts, are inhuman spirit beings, never having been human…NOT the damned souls of evil humans.
Q: Are Demons the same as “Ghosts”?
A: Ultimately, no. Whereas a ghost is generally considered to be the disembodied spirit essence of a deceased person (or animal, in some cases), a demon was never physically alive, in the way in which we are familiar with life. Because demons are spirit beings, and sometimes function in similar ways - even sometimes intentionally masquerading as ghosts - they are often mistaken as being ghosts. However, there is actually quite a difference between the two, both in character and abilities.
Q: Can Demons materialize themselves as humans or animals?
A: Yes, although their ability to do so seems limited. Also, seemingly as a rule, even on the rare occasions where they manifest themselves in photographs, they are never “complete”…that is to say, either a body part is missing (eyes, legs, or the entire head, etc.), or they are disfigured in some noticeable way. Perhaps this is God’s cosmic law at work, commanding that they must in some way display that they are not of human origin.
Q: Can demons actually possess dolls and statues?
A: Although demons do not technically “possess” inanimate objects such as dolls and statues, they will sometimes attach or link themselves to certain objects. Although there are a variety of reasons for this, the most obvious cause would be if a doll or a statue has been “personified,” or given recognition as an object of profane worship, or used in a ceremonial practice in which demonic entities were invoked. (Two Scriptural references which specifically refer to this as the worship of idols are: 1) Revelation 9:20, and 2) 1 Corinthians 10:20.) Incidentally, demonic attachments to inanimate objects are not limited to dolls and statues. In fact, I once knew someone who, as a young boy of about five years old, picked up a glove which had been left in a cemetery…and a demonic entity instantly began harassing him! The vehicle in which screen idol Jimmy Dean was killed in is another example. Also, it almost goes without saying that the most common inanimate object to which a demonic entity will attach itself is the infamous Ouija board.
Another cause of demonic entities having attached themselves to inanimate objects such as dolls or statues, is if someone who was demon possessed or severely oppressed, has owned or venerated this particular object.
Of course, there is no reason to go through your house searching out every inanimate object which you’ve ever felt slightly unnerved about. However, if you do seriously feel there is something unnatural about an abject in your possession…be it a doll, statue, Ouija board or what have you…it might just be a good idea to look up the history of this object, if possible. For information pertaining to the disposal of such an object, you may wish to contact a member of the clergy of your particular faith, or perhaps a reputable paranormal research organization.
Thank you to Keith Johnson for the article.
Demonology 101: Part III
Demonology 101: Part III In Parts I and II we touched on a few explanations offered for the existence of those spirit entities categorized as demons, as well as outlined the characteristics they manifest, and some basic methods of dealing with the inconvenience of their presence. I would like to continue with further speculation on their origins and nature, in an effort to establish a working theorem regarding this area of study. What factors initially spawned them, we cannot for certain say, and it follows our rigid concept of lineal time, with absolute beginning and endings, does not wholly govern the less substantial realm of spirit. Perhaps a demon could be described as an energy displacement, a sort of poltergeist in which a consciousness has evolved. It exists (yet doesn’t in a purely physical sense), it knows there are other entities like unto itself, and it senses the living beings (us) moving in a dimensional plane apart from their own. But why, then, should they resent us? Well, maybe not all are resentful, and we just notice the ones that are. It is conceivable that a demon, never having been embodied, might envy the humanity, which it can never experience: the physical sensations, the interaction, the companionship, the hopes and aspirations. Opportunities for a demon to enter our world and wreak its havoc - that is, in overt, obvious ways - must be limited. Evidence would seem to support the notion that it must first be invited in, though even a subtle invitation can suffice. Once the demon has an “in,” it will feed upon the energies expelled by negative emotions such as anxiety, fear and anger, especially those directed at itself. The state of mind conducive to expelling a demonic presence is a resolute dedication to purpose and a sense of unity on the part of those who confront this nightmarish force.
