Bizarre Mysteries: Legendary Ghosts of the US, Part One

Quick! What do Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, and Abe Lincoln all have in common? Well, according to some people, they still roam the earth…even though they died decades ago!

That’s right, kids! Even famous people, it seems, have unfinished business. The next few blogs, we will discuss some well-known folks who are said to haunt people, places, or even things. The list is long, the tales fascinating…which means we will need to make this a two or three part series!

And, once we uncover the ghosts of the US, we will cover some famous ghosts of other countries. Some you may have heard about, some will be new. But all will leave you fascinated and wanting to know more.

That’s the hope, anyway!

Let’s start with some ghosts you may have heard of as a child. Spooky fodder for ghost stories around the campfire or tales to scare the hell out of a sibling right before bedtime. Not that I know anything about that, you understand.😉

One such name you’ve undoubtedly heard of is Bloody Mary. The ghost, not the drink. Sure, sure, you look into the mirror, spin a few times, and see the scary image of the woman known as Bloody Mary, right? But was she, in fact, a real person?

It appears so. Unfortunately, since there are so many variations to this legend, it’s impossible to tell who truly wears the title of ‘Bloody Mary’. Was it Mary I, daughter of Henry VIII? This gal, told to be frumpy and plain and a little nutso, ordered the deaths of many Protestants when she took the throne, believing that unifying her kingdom entailed killing Non-Catholics. So, in that sense, she was ‘bloody.’

Another theory is that Bloody Mary is actually the ghost of a woman, thought to be a witch, named Mary Worth. This Mary was a suspect in the disappearance of several young girls (this all took place in the 1500’s, by the by) and the town’s people thought she’d had a hand in the disappearances. She’d already been accused of practicing black magic so kidnapping, I suppose, was not a stretch.

She was burned at the stake, vowing to destroy anyone who looked in a mirror before stealing their children. Or something like that.

Yeah, you don’t have to tell me twice. I happen to like my children.

Another Mary (what’s with all the Mary’s?) is Resurrection Mary. This one is your classic “beautiful hitchhiker turns out to be a ghost,'“ tale. The story goes that sometime in the 1930’s, a young lady (Mary) was out ballroom dancing with her beau. The two got into a lover’s quarrel and she left the dance club—in her pretty white dress— and started walking the streets of Chicago.

Soon after leaving the club, she was hit and killed by an unknown driver who left the scene of the accident.

Mary’s battered body was discovered by her parents. She was buried in Resurrection Cemetery (why did I just get a flash of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary?) a few miles south of Chicago, in Justice, Illinois. Since the alleged incident (alleged because, as with all legends, there is probably a mixture of truth and folklore in there somewhere) reported sightings are in the dozens. A few people claim to have spoken to her, given her a ride as she hitchhiked, even danced with her in the same dance hall years after her death. In each instance, the witnesses turn away for a brief minute and she vanishes.

Like some sort of ghost or something.😜

Here is one for ya: Near the Boston Harbor entrance in Massachusetts sits historic Fort Warren, home of the ghost of Mrs. Melanie Lanier. Known as ‘The Lady in Black’, her story begins during the Civil War, when her husband, a confederate soldier, was captured and sent to Fort Warren. Once Melanie got the word that her sweetheart was imprisoned, she concocted an elaborate plan to free him.

Image credit: The Uncertainist/wordpress.com

Donning men’s clothing, she snuck into Fort Warren, reunited with her love, and they set about tunneling under the Fort’s walls, using a pick-axe she’d brought with her.

Important to note here that she also brought with her a handgun.

The Union soldiers discovered Mr. and Mrs. Lanier as they ran to escape and cornered them. There was a stand-off, Melanie brandishing her gun, trying to protect her husband. In the ensuing scuffle, the gun discharged, the bullet hitting her husband. He died in her arms. (Man, this would make a great book or movie!)

Melanie was sentenced to hang for treason. Her ghost has been seen by dozens of people, starting with the very soldiers who executed her. She walks the Fort in a black dress, mourning her husband, angry at the fate visited upon the young couple.

But, man-o-man, what a wife, am I right? Melanie Lanier sounds like my kind of people❤️ I may make a trip to Fort Warren, just to let her know that.

And, speaking of ‘Warren,’ the famous demonologist couple, Ed and Lorraine Warren, have told many ghostly stories over the years. But none, I think, hold a candle to the spooky vibes of a doll known simply as ‘Annabelle.’

Full disclosure here…it takes a lot to scare me. But anything to do with creepy-ass, animated dolls or other toys sends me screaming through the house.

Remind me to tell you about the remote control car that seemed to have a life of its own at our house…with no controller. And no batteries.

Anyhoo, back to Annabelle. According to the Warren’s, Annabelle started out as a gift from a mother to her 28-year-old daughter (which is already kind of creepy, right?) The daughter, a nurse, was thrilled with Annabelle and took her to her apartment she shared with another young nurse.

At first, everything was groovy. Annabelle sat on the sofa, content to be a part of the décor. Eventually though, the young women noticed that the doll began to move around the apartment. If they put her at the dining table, they would come home and she would be in the bedroom. Or on the lounge chair. Or in the kitchen, making a PB&J.

Okay, I made the last part up, but you get the picture.

Then, the young nurses began to find messages, written on parchment paper they didn’t have in the home. These messages said simply, “Help Me.”

Which would be my cue to skedaddle. 😳

But, of course, they didn’t leave. Instead, they contacted a medium who told them the doll was possessed by the spirit of Annabelle, a seven-year-old girl who died on the property. The medium swore the ghost was benign. Later, though, the Warren’s would become involved in the case, claiming that the doll was a demonic force seeking a human host.

Image credit: ATI/ Inside the real Annabelle’s Doll Tale of Terror

Yikes.😮

The young women held fast to the medium’s claim and forged ahead, standing strong through teleportation events (meaning the doll moving on its own), the notes, even an attack on one of the girl’s boyfriends, who ended up with three scratch marks on his torso.

Which any dolt knows means the ‘mark of the beast.’ And these bubble-headed broads simply said, “I think Annabelle just needs love.”

Yeah. And Vladimir Putin is just misunderstood.😳

Eventually, the girls were able to get Ed and Lorraine involved and they set up an exorcism of sorts. The Warrens theorized that a demonic entity was manipulating the doll. They claimed that Annabelle was responsible for several near-fatal accidents and one motorcycle accident that left the driver dead.

Apparently, the poor guy crashed right after he and his passenger on the bike were laughing, making fun of the doll.

Following the recommendations given during the investigation, the girls reluctantly surrendered Annabelle into the care of Ed and Lorraine Warren. To this day, Annabelle remains enclosed in a glass case in the Warren’s museum, the wooden front of the box inscribed with the Lord’s Prayer.

Image credit: ATI/The real Annabelle behind the glass.

And, there you have it! Part One of the Legendary series. Next time, we will learn about some famous people (folks like Lennon, Presley, Monroe) who are said to haunt the places of their death.

Until then, look out for vanishing hitchhikers along the highways. And keep those creepy-ass dolls locked up!

Later, gators 😉

—Q