Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Cemetery Ghosts and Another Lexa & Julie Update

Abel's Hill on a pretty Spring day
Abel's Hill Cemetery on Martha's Vineyard dates back to at least the 1700s and to my knowledge is one of the oldest cemeteries on the island. I have so many ancestors buried at Abel's Hill that it can be a bit eerie to go there and see my last name on what feels like every other stone.

The cemetery is the setting for a key scene in The Ghosts of Aquinnah so I thought I would share a few cemetery ghost stories for today's post. While I was unable to find any ghost stories about Abel's Hill, anyone who has been there on a foggy and dark evening can tell you that it's a safe bet that there are some ghosts hanging around there at any given time.

All of these stories involve cemeteries in Connecticut, which was my father's home state.

The entrance to The Green Lady cemetery (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

The Green Lady cemetery is no longer in use, but the old headstones remain on the small plot of land in the town of Burlington. Visitors to the cemetery have reported a greenish figure appearing around the tombstone of Elisabeth Palmiter, who drowned in a nearby swamp while searching for her lost husband during a crippling winter storm in the early 1800s. Many believe Elisabeth now haunts the land as the Green Lady.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Gunntown Cemetery is located in the town of Naugatuck, in a rural area that is surrounded by woods. Visitors to the cemetery have reported sounds of music and children's laughter coming from the woods in the middle of the night, with the noises growing louder and louder until they seem to be coming from inside of the cemetery itself. Others have said they have received calls on their cell phones while in the cemetery in spite of the fact that they have no cell service in the area. The calls have no number listed with them and no one on the other end of the line when the phones are answered.

Union Cemetery (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Union Cemetery in Easton is reportedly one of the most famous haunted cemeteries in the country thanks to its resident ghost, The White Lady of Union Cemetery. The lady is said to glide through the cemetery and around the tombstones wearing a white nightgown or wedding dress. Visitors to the cemetery have reported hearing disembodied sounds of a woman sobbing. In addition, a man reported driving past the cemetery on Route 59 late one night when a women in white suddenly appeared in the road in front of him. Unable to stop, he struck the figure. But when he got out of his truck, she was nowhere to be seen. Numerous drivers have claimed to have seen the ghostly woman in a white dress while on Route 59 at night.

Some have speculated the White Lady is the ghost of Harriet Seeley, who is buried in the cemetery and had a son who preceded her in death in 1853. Those who believe the ghost is Seeley suggest that the White Lady is roaming the cemetery searching for her dead son.

Do you know of any haunted cemeteries? I would imagine there are quite a few!


I want to say thank you again to everyone who has signed up for Lexa and Julie's Dream Destination Blog Hop! Lexa and I are totally overwhelmed by the response and so grateful to those who have donated to our prizes. I am including an updated list of prizes here along with the sign up list. You guys totally rock!

Current List of Prizes

Ebook copies of our books The Ghosts of Aquinnah & Soul Cutter
A 5 page critique from Lexa's agent Michelle Johnson of Inklings Literary Agency
A query critique from Michelle Johnson
An ebook bundle from my publisher Ink Smith Publishing
An ebook from M. Pax
A Kindle copy of BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER. by Medeia Sharif 
An ebook from Nicki Elson - winner's choice of Three Daves, Divine Temptation or Hans & Greta
A 5 page critique from C. Lee McKenzie


And finally, the Realms Faire is in full swing and prizes are going like crazy. Visit M.Pax here for a full list of ongoing events and visit our Untethered Realms blog here to play Phasers and enter to win our Kindle grand prize!

37 comments:

  1. I love a good ghost story but I'm not sure what I'd do if I ever saw one. (I fear it would be messy.)

    Signed up for the Blog Hop.

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  2. A boyfriend tried to took me to a cemetery once. I flipped and he never tried again. I swear I saw something in the graveyard and just freaked! Tears aren't good on a date! LOL

    Signed up for the blog hop - sounds like fun!

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  3. That story about the cell phones in the cemetery freaked me out! Still have the chills. Yikes!

    Looking forward to the Blog Hop! :)

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  4. Some coworkers tried to convince me there was a ghost that roamed the halls of an abandoned unit of the hospital. I'm not easily scared, though. I'm afraid I wasn't much fun for them to tease. :P

    Looks like your hop is coming along nicely. :)

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  5. Beautiful pics, creepy stories!! I love the juxtaposition :)

    Your blog hop sounds great! I'm trying to cut down on my online time right now, and WRITE, but I'll definitely come visit if I don't participate!!

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  6. I totally believe in ghosts, but have never seen one. I like to visit old cemeteries during THE DAY.
    Thanks for signing up for the Holiday Food Drive Blogfest. MJ and I appreciate your support very much.
    Tina @ Life is Good

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  7. @LD, thanks for signing up! And I have no doubt I would have a heart attack if I ever really saw a ghost LOL.

    @Yolanda, LOL, a cemetery doesn't sound like a fun date to me. Thanks for signing up for our hop!

    @Madeline, I know, that was my favorite one!

    @Melissa, LOL, I would have been great prey for them. It's not hard to scare me. :D

    @Liz, thanks!! And good luck with your writing!

    @Tina, my pleasure, it's such a great idea for a hop.

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  8. I've always thought cemeteries were beautiful places . . . and I don't think I've ever been scared of them. Now, put me up on a high cliff and then I'll cower in terror. :)

    Glad you have lots of sign ups for the fest!

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  9. Thanks for the uplifting comment, Julie. It brought a bright smile to know your friends are safe. I had such a wonderful trip there, it boggles my mind to see the devastation.

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  10. @Tyrean, LOL, I am afraid of heights too. Just the thought is enough to make me start to shake.

    @Kittie, I'm glad I could bring you a smile, this is all just so hard to take in. :(

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  11. I loved these ghost stories, Julie. With your ancestors being so prevalent in the graveyard I wondered if you have any first-hand experience with ghost sightings.

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  12. Too much going on for me to jump in the blog hop! Hope it is successful.

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  13. Ooh, so many eerie ghost stories today! I've been to a cemetery before, but I don't think it was haunted like any of those, heh. And wow, I can't imagine how unsettling it must be to see your own surname on so many tombstones, Julie!

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  14. It's funny. I write about ghosts in my novels all the time, but I don't really think anything of it. It's just part of my character's reality. But when I read about stuff like this happening in real places it freaks me out a little. *shivers*

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  15. Loved your mini ghost stories.

    Hugs and chocolate!

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  16. That's rather sad if the White Lady is searching for her son.

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  17. Hey, I JUST played Phasers & guess what the word was that I had to play off of -- Haunted! Dang, I wish I would've said "Julie" hehe.

    That would be very creepy to see your last name on so many head stones. These stories gave me chills.

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  18. The cemetery cell phone story is pretty scary. I wonder if there are extra roaming charges for those calls?!

    Julie

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  19. Ooooh, you know I love my ghosties! How awesome that you can go to the cemetery and trace your ancestors back that far.

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  20. Very cool stories. I like wandering around cemeteries. There's an old cemetery in one of the state parks around here that supposedly has a ghost of a woman looking for her infant son. Your blog hop is getting huge! Awesome. :)

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  21. I'm not sure I should have read this post while awake in the middle of the night!!

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  22. The mobile phone story is the one that sent shivers down my spine!

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  23. I don't know of actual haunted places, but there are many wonderful cemeteries in London that would make great candidates. I'm really looking forward to reading your novel. I love a good ghost story.

    I signed up for the blog hop. Sounds fun!

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  24. TBM just told me about your hop! Count me in! I just signed up and I would love to donate a Kindle copy of my book, Dangled Carat

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  25. I don't know of any haunted ones, but I love walking through them. I love thinking about all the lives that were lived and find the silence peaceful. Now if I heard a ghostly noise, that might freak me out!

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  26. Seems only right that cemeteries would be haunted. Looks like your blogfest is off to a great start! And so many excellent prizes - wow!

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  27. @Johanna, I'm so glad you like them, thanks. And I haven't seen any ghosts myself but I don't doubt there are some hanging around that cemetery, it's very creepy!

    @Susan, thank you!

    @Heather, yeah, it's kind of bizarre LOL.

    @LG, I'm glad I could give you some shivers. :D

    @shelly, thanks!

    @Mary, I thought the same thing.

    @Nicki, oh how funny! You definitely should have. :D

    @Julie, LOL, I'm sure there are. The cost must be outrageous.

    @Gwen, yeah, we're lucky that we can trace that side of the family back that far.

    @Christine, aww, that's a sad story about that ghost.

    @Rebecca, LOL! :D

    @Annalisa, me too, that was my favorite.

    @TB, oh, thanks so much, I appreciate that!

    @Hilary, wow, thank you! That is so nice of you, I will add it to our list!

    @Julie, I think they are peaceful too, during the day at least LOL. I've never been in one at night and am happy to keep it that way. :D

    @MJ, I know, I can't believe how generous people have been!

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  28. Love reading these ghost stories! And I can't wait to read The Ghosts of Aquinnah! :D

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  29. Ooooo...good ghost stories, Julie. We have a haunted cemetery 5 minutes up the road I featured it on Debbie Christiana's Curiosities Blog. It's also spoooky to this day!

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  30. Hi Julie, great post. I live in CT and love it. It's one of the most haunted states in the country -so I've heard anyway :)

    I know of the Gunntown Cemetery in Naugatuck, and it's hauntings - it's not far from me. The other two I didn't know about, but plan a visit to.

    Can't wait to read your new book. Best of luck.

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  31. The ghost stories are so cool, and I'm sure I've heard of the Woman in White. (Maybe she was in a Supernatural episode.) You're doing a great job tying your book to your posts -- and I ADORE ghost stories, so I'm getting really excited about The Ghosts of Aquinnah release! :-)

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  32. @Cathy, oh, I must have missed that post. Now I need to go check it out, I'm curious. :)

    @Debbie, I didn't know it was considered one of the most haunted states. I wish my Dad was still around, he'd get a kick out of that I'm sure. Thanks so much about the book!

    @Lexa, thanks so much! I love learning about these ghost stories so it's been fun for me.

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  33. Fantastic ghost stores, julie- especially the spooky phone calls! There's a plot device if I ever heard one!

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  34. @Beverly, oh, that's so true. Perfect! :)

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  35. Hi Julie - your blog hop has lots of entrants and prizes .. that's really good news.

    Cemeteries .. we can find out so much - interesting names, stories of the times .. death from the plague, whole families wiped out ... etc etc .. and my family are scattered - so can't imagine what it must be like seeing your name carved on so many headstones .. eerie ...

    Cheers Hilary

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  36. @Hilary, it is kind of a strange feeling! I'm really excited about the hop, thanks. :)

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