Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-03-01
HAUNTED BY HERo'S GHOST.

of oak trees over century old, Is
colonial mansion built before the wal
of the revolution, upon land granted
by the King Of England, in which al
most up to the present day the mem
bers of its household, says a CORES
pondent of the Richmond Times Dis
patch, have been pursued by a ghost
ly ancestor, whose appearance has in
variably brought death in the family.
The manor house was built near by
the original home of a retired sea cap
tain of distinguished lineage, who
was directly descended from hero OF
the war of independence. whose rec.
ord in that patriotic struggle stands
second only to that Of George Wash
ington.
The seafaring man, after losing
practically everything afoat, caused
by the depredations of the French on
the high seas, retired to his country
home to end his days.
The home stands a mute witness to
the scenes during the Revolution. and
was in the path of the two contend
ing armies during the Civil War. Un-
der its roof brave fighters of all the
American wars since l776, and in.
cluding the Spanish. American con-
fict, have been sheltered. The men
of this family were active participants
in the various struggles and lineal de-
scendants of the head of the family,
who first settled that part Of the
country.
1t has also been toe scene of gaye-
ty from colonial times, the ante bel
lum days and times intervening, as
well as almost up to the present day,
when the estate passed into other
hands.
Weird and feshing-creeping sto.
ries have been told in connection with
this place, and ever since the Revolu-
ton the family, from generation to
generation, firmly believed in the ex-
istance of some agency above the
forces of nature; some being outside
the range or operation of natural law.
Sound. minded persons who have been
entertained for months at time In
this house placed but little credence
in these tales of the preternatural,
but the members of the family freely
and frankly stated that they were
pursued by dire form, and whenev-
er ore of the occupants Of the house
saw this being it was an infallible sign
that one of the name would die with
in short time.
This form was no less a parsonage
than a hero of the Revolutionary
War, who, when the call to arms was
sounded, mounted his tavorite riding
horse, rode out side lane, and
aroused his neighbors to action. He
gathered them at a spring on his
place, now famous in that locality as
'76, and after forming a company,
marched them north to join the army
of George Washington. Since then a
company was formed at this spring
to participate in the Civil War, and
one to take part in the Spanish Amer.
ican conflict.
The first of his house to go to the
defense of his country made record
almost unsurpassed as a soldier Of
that period. When the British were
conquered, the old hero returned
home and soon answered his last or.
der.
But while be had passed to the
great beyond, his spirit at times
mingled in the family circle or about
the premises. 1t was because Of biz
appearance among them that grew
the superstition that when seen, some
one of the household would soon be
attacked by a fatality.
Several years after the struggle fol
independence two men of the family
were crossing a field when one looked
up with an exclamation and pointed
his finger toward a lane There il
plain view of both was the old war;
rior, mounted on his army steed, dash'
ing down the lane through which he
had passed at the first call to arms
His phantom-like figure was az exact
counterpart of him the day he rode
away. But short time afterward'
one of the men was taken i'll with ty
phoid fever and died.
No significance was attached to tn