Saturday, April 27, 2024

Myrtles Plantation, The Historic Louisiana House Said To Be Haunted

myrtle plantation house

On December 5, 1865, Mary Cobb hired William Drew Winter, the husband of her daughter, Sarah Mulford, to act as her agent and attorney and to help her manage the plantation lands. As part of the deal, she gave Sarah and William the Myrtles as their home. Since the Stirlings were leaders in the community, they needed a house befitting their social status. Stirling added a broad central hallway and the entire southern section.

Not your average selfie: Louisiana plantation posts ‘haunted’ picture - WAFB

Not your average selfie: Louisiana plantation posts ‘haunted’ picture.

Posted: Mon, 04 Dec 2017 08:00:00 GMT [source]

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Let’s look at the claimed killings of Sarah Mathilda and her two daughters before we tackle the issue of Chloe’s existence. In this instance, the truth has been so drastically misrepresented by mythology. Sadly, despite no proof to support these claims, these stories have been regarded as fact.

Is The Myrtles Plantation House Really Haunted?

Woodruff consumed no poisoned cake, but the two kids and Sarah Mathilda did. If it was an accident, Chloe lovingly met their needs without recognizing that she had accidentally overdosed on poison. Woodruff eventually grew bored with Chloe and moved on to another woman. Chloe started listening in on the Woodruff family’s private talks because she was terrified that her name would be mentioned. She was confident she would be sent to the fields and feared the worst.

The Trail Of Death At The Myrtles Plantation Continues

myrtle plantation house

There seems to be little doubt about the fact that the house is haunted – it’s the reason that it’s haunted that has been called into question. For several generations, owners and guides at the plantation have been presenting “facts and history” that they know is blatantly false. The Myrtles, according to hundreds of people who have encountered the resident spirits, is indeed haunted, but not for the reasons that we have been told. The other slaves, perhaps afraid that their owner would punish them also, dragged Chloe from her room and hanged her from a nearby tree. Her body was later cut down, weighted with rocks and thrown into the river. Woodruff closed off the children's dining room, where the party was held, and never allowed it to be used again as long as he lived.

Where is the Myrtles Plantation and What Happened There?

On July 15, 1824, his only son, James, also died from yellow fever and two months later, in September, Cornelia Gale was also felled by the dreaded disease. A walk through the house and stories about the history are offered on a daily basis. The Mystery Tours are held every Friday and Saturday evening, and guests sit around with a guide who tells about their personal experiences at the haunted mansion. The Myrtles Plantation is a historic home and former antebellum plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana, United States built in 1796 by General David Bradford. In the early history of the property, it was worked by enslaved people.

Welcome to the captivating Myrtles Plantation and the vibrant community of St. Francisville! As you arrive at our historic estate and venture into its intriguing spaces, may you be swept up in the charm of this Southern gem. From the allure of our rich history to the lush landscapes that surround us, there's something here for everyone to enjoy. As you explore the eclectic shops and eateries of St. Francisville, may you discover the hidden treasures that make this town so special. Whether you're here for adventure or relaxation, we're thrilled to have you with us, and we hope your stay is filled with laughter, exploration, and unforgettable experiences.

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In 1777, he purchased a tract of land and a small stone house near Washington County, Pennsylvania. He became a successful attorney, businessman and Deputy Attorney General for the county. His first attempt to marry ended only days before his wedding (no details are known about this) but he later met and married Elizabeth Porter in 1785 and started a family. Now, Myrtles Plantation is a bed and breakfast with a full service restaurant, offering tours for visitors to experience one of America’s most haunted homes. Some people claim to have seen young girls in old-style clothing in the windows. Others say that they’ve caught glimpses of Woodruff’s children appearing in the mirror near the room where they died.

Who Then Started the Tale of the Myrtles Plantation?

Lafayette Nurse Takes Chilling Photo of Myrtles Plantation Ghost - Gator 99.5

Lafayette Nurse Takes Chilling Photo of Myrtles Plantation Ghost.

Posted: Mon, 09 Aug 2021 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Chloe feared the worst, sure that she was going to be sent to the fields, and she began eavesdropping on the Woodruff family's private conversations, dreading hearing the mention of her name. One day, the Judge caught her at this and ordered that one of her ears be cut off to teach her a lesson and to put her in her place. After that time, she always wore a green turban around her head to hide the ugly scar that the knife had left behind. After the death of Mary Cobb Stirling in 1880, the Myrtles was purchased by Stephen Stirling, one of her sons. He bought out his brothers but only maintained ownership of the house until March 1886.

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myrtle plantation house

He was appointed to a judge's position over District D in Covington, Louisiana, and he served in this capacity until April 1835. After the death of David Bradford, Woodrooff managed Laurel Grove for his mother-in-law, Elizabeth. He expanded the holdings of the plantation and planted about six hundred and fifty acres of indigo and cotton.

Another “haunted highlight” of the Myrtles Plantation is a sizable mirror that some of the owners claim is home to the ghosts of some of the deceased. Photographers of the mirror frequently discover that the developed image contains images of multiple people’s handprints that appear to be inside the glass. Lewis Stirling, the eldest son of Ruffin Grey Stirling, was one of them, and it was reported that he was killed by stabbing at home due to a gambling debt. But according to St. Francisville cemetery records, he passed away from yellow fever in October 1854 at the age of 23. There is no doubt that they did not pass away as a result of a poisoned birthday cake. Also, according to this myth, Octavia would not have existed at all (her mother was allegedly pregnant when she was killed), but we know that she grew up with her father, got married, and lived a long life.

She was never given a name, and the “ghost” in the tale with the green bonnet was really represented as an older woman rather than a youthful slave who might have had relations with the home’s owner. He ended his family’s ownership of the Myrtles Plantation by selling them to Oran D. Brooks. Brooks owned it until January 1889, when it was eventually bought by Harrison Milton Williams, a widower from Mississippi, who moved in with his small son and second wife, Fannie Lintot Haralson, in 1891. After receiving the pardon, Bradford returned to Pennsylvania to bring his wife and five children back to Louisiana.

When Judge Woodruff began having an affair with another girl, Chloe feared that she would be banned from the house and forced to work in the fields with the other slaves. But all the Southern charm can’t detract from the eerie feeling people get as they wander around the mansion and grounds. Like many people in colonial Louisiana, they succumbed to yellow fever. In fact, many of the more gruesome events that are supposed to have happened in the house, like the ten murders allegedly committed there, also seem to be made up. Relics of America’s earlier age, one marked by the horrors of slavery, they evoke images of tragedy and human suffering. It’s not surprising that some plantations are believed to be haunted by the people that toiled in their fields or happened to perish on their grounds.

He left his family in a secure location and crossed the Ohio River to reach the Mississippi. He eventually made his home close to Bayou Sara, which is close to St. Francisville, Louisiana. One of five children, David Bradford, was born in America to Irish parents. Near Washington County, Pennsylvania, he bought a tiny stone home and a plot of land. Nevertheless, as you’ll soon discover, the plantation has a peculiar past that actually did take place and may have—and has—leaven its own actual ghosts in its wake. Our goal is not to deter these tourists from coming or even from hunting for the ghosts that they will almost probably encounter while they are here.

The house’s wide central hallway and the entire southern section were additions by Stirling. A highly wealthy family named the Stirlings held numerous plantations on both banks of the Mississippi River. Until her passing in 1830, she remained a resident of Laurel Grove along with her son-in-law and granddaughter, Octavia. Woodrooff’s life would never be the same again, but he could pay his mother-in-law cash for the farm. Despite her advanced age, she was relieved to see the home in capable hands. Bradford occasionally took in law students while he was residing in Bayou Sarah.

I am left wondering why a fantastical past was invented in its place because the actual history of the plantation is rife with tragedy, death, and despair. Others will undoubtedly receive an answer, but that one probably won’t. It appears essential to learn the true history of the location because a house’s past is the most crucial factor in figuring out why it might be haunted in the first place. It has frequently been advised to comb through the local myths and mythology to find some nuggets of truth. There is no denying that the sheer number of accounts that have been reported and collected here would cause the house to qualify as one of the most haunted sites in the country. However, as you can see from the preceding pages, the house may be haunted, just not for the reasons that have been claimed for so many years.

More than a year after she passed away, her children—a son and a daughter—but not both daughters—died. It’s said that the former slave is the ghost that guests at the Myrtles Plantation most regularly run into. She frequently wanders the area at night while wearing a green turban.

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