Ghosts, Spirits, and Legends of Southeastern Ohio

Browsing through my local library recently, I ran across an interesting book entitled 'Ghosts, Spirits, and Legends of Southeastern Ohio' by Lawrence Everett. Always interested in paranormal activity (especially that which is close by), I immediately checked it out. At around 109 pages, the book appeared to be a good evening read.

The author, a down-to-earth guy raised in Ohio, dedicated the book (released in 2002) to his stepdaughter. He begins with an introduction and a self-written poem on legends. Once I started reading, I was impressed by the amount of pictures included in the book. Every section contained pictures of the areas being discussed and many contained possible examples of paranormal evidence. I was also impressed that the author visited most of the places cited in his book.

Mr. Everett tells of many haunted locations and legends around Athens County, Ohio. He especially focuses on areas in the city of Athens, which is considered to be one of the most haunted cities in the United States. He begins by explaining the legend of the cemeteries of Athens forming a giant pentagram over the land. According to the author, this is achieved by drawing lines from Hanning, Simms, Higgins, Zion, and Cuckler Cemeteries; with the current Wilson Hall sitting at the center. The author explains the legends behind this pentagram and tells of the several 'mini' pentagrams formed by connecting other area cemeteries and paranormal locations.

The author discusses his visit to Hanning Cemetery (one of the pentagram points) and tells of the freezing cold spot he and his family experienced. He also tells of his experience on the Haunted Athens Tour, in which the group visited 'Ridges', a former mental asylum, and the nearby cemetery (in which certain graves form an unusual circle). Mr. Everett explains how he once worked in the building and witnessed the famed body stain that appears on the floor and cannot be cleaned.

The author goes on to tell of his trip to the cemetery on West State Street, in which veterans are buried from all wars back to the Revolutionary War. This cemetery is said to contain a weeping angel statue. He also tells of an excursion to the old, more-peaceful, and long-forgotten Slaughter Cemetery.

From there, we're taken to Moonville Tunnel and the tales of the many ghosts said to be associated with this site and the now-defunct railroad. The author takes us to Mount Nebo, a ground the Native Americans used to consider sacred and the legend of the s�ance group that once was active in this spot.

At this point, we're told of the legend of a man who murdered his wife, placed his body in a storage drum, and dumped her in the Athens area's Dow Lake. We're told of the several specters, lights, and unusual sounds that have taken place in a cemetery near Stroud's Run State Park. The author takes us to the Simms Cemetery, in which it is said people were hung from a tree in a cliff. The tree is said to still contain rope marks from these ghastly events.

Mr. Everett takes us to Haines Cemetery in which a Civil War soldier is said to have gone crazy and killed his entire family in a fire. Their bodies are said to be buried in that very cemetery. Next, we are shown pictures of Bethel Cemetery and told of the select graves which are said to be laid out in a strange direction-north to south-which is rumored to be favored by witches of the area. Finally, the author's trips take us to Lake Hope State Park and the still-standing Hope Furnace, in which a night watchman in the 1860's fell to his death into a vat of molten iron ore.

The reader is left intrigued by the author's tales of his own experiences on the family farm in the Athens area. A myriad of spirit activity has occurred in this spot (especially involving the author's great-aunt), including odd lights seen on the hills, which have been observed for over 100 years by all his family members through the generations.

Mr. Everett has also compiled first-hand reports from various people all over the county claiming to have experienced paranormal activity. We are told of an 1863 farmhouse in Millfield, Ohio in which the ghost of a murdered, guitar-hating peddler named Jeremiah whose body was dumped in the property's well-is said to roam. The book contains stories of the 'black' and 'white' ghosts of Scatter Ridge, the variety of activity happening in a business along U.S. Route 33, a nursing home ghost, the school bus-watching ghost of a woman in an orange coat, a phone call from a dead grandfather, a frightful campfire s�ance, and amazing death premonitions. The story about the abandoned house, in which neighbors frequently witnessed a ghostly woman with blonde hair in the garden and a spectral man on the porch who stared back at them-particularly interested me.

The book even contained the amazing story of a woman's near-death, out-of-body experience due to a difficult miscarriage.

All in all, I found the book very interesting and I suspect many people that live in the Ohio area (especially around Athens) will as well. I felt quite 'spooked' while I was reading the book (a good result when reading this subject). I did feel that the author's grammar could have been a little better, and at times, the author's wording seemed a little immature. The author needs a bit more practice expressing himself and giving more relevant details about the particular sites he visited. While I was very interested in the historical factors, I wish the author had given a bit more first-hand accounts of sightings and research into particular events. The author also seemed to be slightly na�ve about the theories of how the spiritual realm works.

That being said, if you want to be spooked for the evening (especially if you live in Ohio), I recommend you take home this book. One suggestion...don't read it while home alone!

'Ghosts, Spirits, and Legends of Southeastern Ohio' (ISBN: 07414-1025-7) by Lawrence Everett is listed at $14.95 and published by Infinity Publishing. It can be ordered through bookstores or online on sites such as Amazon.com.