The Haunted One Too.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Cemeteries

As a ghost researcher I get the occasional request from one of my members to do a cemetery that is supposedly haunted. I usually take the request with a grain of salt and mull it over. I’ve done these places before and sometime with great results and some with nothing but wasted time. Considering that practically no one dies in a cemetery, unless the occasional heart attack or mob hit, I tend to dismiss some of the claims. It is also one of the hardest places to get permission from the property owners to do so.

In Fort Lauderdale, we have a couple of haunted cemeteries. Most of them are haunted due to disrespect of the graves or the people buried there. For my book “Haunted Fort Lauderdale”, I gave one of them a chapter in my book, but our group never did an investigation at this location. This is the second cemetery in town after they moved the bodies of the old location out to this new plot of land, which was a foreclosed farmers plot. The first grounds were in the back of a church and they wanted to expand the site to have a school located in the location of the grave area.

I told the story of 15 victims of the hurricane of September 18^th, 1926. This is backed up by a sign in the cemetery giving them knowledge, but obviously it wasn’t enough to sooth the souls of that tragic day. They all were buried in a Pauper’s grave that the city purchased. These people were never claimed by family members and their ID’s and some their clothes were stripped from their lifeless bodies. These men, women and children were sewn up in canvas and piled up, and then lye was thrown on top before the shovels of dirt were in place. Upon interviewing the City, they claim they didn’t know which plot they were put in due to information being lost in later tragic hurricanes and floods. They also claim they gave some of the information to the city of Miami to keep till some of the buildings were repaired for the record keeping and subsequently lost by Miami. They did give me one piece of information that was helpful. The grave is somewhere between the Jewish section and the Baby section of the cemetery.

My next interviews were people who lived in the neighborhood that had dealings with the ghost that lie within the cast iron gates. Many say that upon walking their dogs at night, they would stop and their pet would bark at the same location given to me by the city officials. There are some that say if they walk their pet in the early morning they would see ghostly mist from that same location. Others exclaim they seen ghosts of women, men and children walking around the same area in period clothes of the 20’s. Ghostly children playing hide and seek amongst the gravestones, laughing and giggling as the passerby would get a glimpse of them.

There is one man who devoted a website, which seems to have disappeared as ghostly as a spirit in a cemetery, to the “Woman in Grey”. A ghostly apparition of a woman in grey shroud that haunted in front of the crypt of a well known family plot of a billionaire that is still alive in Fort Lauderdale. This man would have his young children over the fence of this cemetery to take pictures in the closed sacred grounds, only to post these pictures on his website. The website was online for a couple of years, but the pictures were quite unusual. One I still remember today was a mist form of what it looked like a lady in a shroud with her arms held out in a beckoning to pose. The website is now no more and I wish I took copies of the photos.

My last interview was with the police to see what their take was about these reports. They did say they would get calls about somebody on the grounds from those who live across from the old burial grounds. They would go to find out what is actually happening, only to find nothing. They also said that if there was a robbery in the neighborhood that the site would be a hiding area for these thieves. Since then, every report of a robbery they would check the cemetery first for suspects. None of the officers said they found, seen or thought they’ve seen ghostly apparitions.

The second cemetery that claims a haunt is in a low income area. This cemetery known as the “Black Cemetery”, which I would like to change that to the Afro-American burial grounds, this is one of the smallest in town. You see, in the 1890’s when the first burial ground was created, which now has been moved to a where it is today, they didn’t allow African Americans to be buried there. The city did purchase a small plot and sold it to be a graveyard for these poor souls to find their final resting place.

Well, this poor graveyard has been overused by the plot owners. There are bodies on top of other family members in these small crypts. It’s also been known that murder victims have been put into some of the crypts, hoping that they will not be noticed. It became so run down due to the plot members and its owner of the property for not taking care of the land. The city has now taken over the piece of land, fixed the broken seals of the crypts, re-erected the grave stones and remove the excess growth of the weeds and other foliage that hid many of the graves.

Now for this spot, I can believe that the haunting is due to the disrespect of those buried there. Reports of shadow people in the memorial park has been noted and called in by police. The neighborhood is more vigilant in patrolling the area. Many believe that some of the shadow people are grave robbers. These robbers aren’t looking for gold or jewelry, they are looking for skulls. Often used in Voodoo dark arts and sold to priest and priestesses for their rituals. There are some reports of ghostly sighting which is the same as others. These ghosts sometimes peering behind gravestones and crypts on seldom occasions, yet enough that stories to go out onto the neighborhood. Nothing with evil intent or malice in mind from their glares but yet beckoning to be recognized by the living.

Upon interviewing for this burial ground, I found nobody from the neighborhood who wanted to talk to me about what these rumors are about. Maybe because I’m a white man trying to get some information or maybe they really don’t want to talk about it. I give them respect and move on. Most of the reports are from off duty police officers that patrol the area and the phone calls they get about the graveyard.

Remember, as a ghost researcher and author/journalist it’s my duty to find out reasons the background history of these places. I feel that this is a missing piece of many paranormal investigation groups out there. Ready to jump into the haunted area without doing research on where, what and who the haunt is about.

Are you ready to go into a cemetery to do an investigation on a haunting? Notice that I didn’t give any names of these burial grounds. This is due to I don’t want these places to be inundated with ghost hunters. Please remember, if you want to do research in any cemetery, you must get permission to do so. It’s all about respect people.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Ghosts Children

On many occasions doing paranormal research we sometimes come across ghost children. The souls, spirits, residual energy and sometimes high level spirits (crossed over and came back) in homes, historical landmarks, graveyards, nightclubs and hospitals that make me feel sad that they unaware of their situation and yet continue to play, tease and scare. Many never make that trip through that tunnel or sometimes compared to a hallway with the bright light at the end. Too scared to cross over, many not having any assistance through the doorway we call the afterlife. These low level ghosts as children will always remain the same age they past with, having the same ailments and the same fears as living children do.

With residual haunting, we are not able to communicate with them at all. They continue to do the same thing over and over again. Still stuck in a time loop of despair, joy or torture they cannot be reached and so cannot be helped to cross over. It’s quite frustrating to come across this type of spirit because you know there is nothing you can do to help this poor little soul. A good example is at the Myrtle Plantation where the little girls who were accidently killed still play in the garden and is often seen holding hands singing ♫Ring Around the Rosie♫.

Here in Fort Lauderdale at “Cooley’s Landing”, around sunset, the sounds of Cooley’s children being killed by the Seminole Natives as revenge for releasing the murderers of their beloved Chief Alabama. The Cooley massacre happened on January 13^th, 1832 and still the residual energy of children being shot and then dismembered is sometimes heard on the anniversary day, but I have heard it once in July, on a hot steamy night, as I did my tour (Fort Lauderdale Ghost Tour). The group that night was 6 Native Americans of the Miccosukee Tribe, which had nothing to do with the massacre, but was beautifully dress in traditional shirts and long black hair that down to their hips may have triggered the screams we heard across the river that night. We can only speculate on whether or not is the trigger to cause this reaction and effect. Some use music or sounds to trigger of residual energy responses.

Right across the same area of the river we have 2 other ghost children that like to play. One is a high level spirit that died at the age of 43 years old but comes back as an 8 year old boy. His home was the first to get electricity here in Fort Lauderdale in 1912 and he’s been enchanted with it ever since. Turning on lights and ceiling fans while we were investigating. Shutting off cameras and video as we tried evp sessions and séances, he really let us know he was there in the haunted restaurant.

In a house across the street from that location is an area where a little girl ghost haunts the courtyard and the veranda of one of Fort Lauderdale’s oldest Hotels. She drowned in the river and has been haunting the ¼ mile area in which she died. During the day and night people would see her skipping along the walkway with hoop and stick at hand. Blonde curly hair, white dress, black stockings and black boots, she sometimes watch people walk by and some would ask her about her dress or to let them in to use the washroom, she giggles at them and says, “I live in a two story house.” Often the extra player of hide and seek games of young children playing in the courtyard. By this action we are aware that she is an intelligent haunt and she might be able to cross over. As part of my tour, she is one of the most photographed ghosts.

The realm of children ghost holds a sadness of dreams of becoming a teen or adult that would never be. It’s not easy subject to talk to children about, but I get through it with questions from Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and Brownies that come to my tour. It all helps with good parenting skills to be able to talk to your children that not only the old will pass away.

For those who are interested in maybe meeting a ghost child at our SEFGR Event we have 2 young girls in a haunted Fire Station.
Click link below to go to www.sefgr.info

The youngest will leave her hand print on the the walls of the station

A good movie to watch about ghost children is”Children of the Grave”.

More of Children of the Grave....

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Shadow People

Black Shadow People

In haunted situations we come across this phenomenon called “Shadow People”. This is sometimes caught on film, video and personnel experiences. Many often see these figures from the corner of their eyes. The quick movement of the neck to see what it is doesn’t often give us any clues. There are some who believe these shadow people to be “angels”, “future observers” “E.T.’s” or “Space Aliens”, which I tend to not go to that and deal with what is at hand.

Shadow people tend to give off the same EMF as non-visible apparition. A spike occurs right before the appearance, then the EMF (Electronic Magnetic Field) will dissipate, but often with “Shadow People”, they remain. The only way I could explain it as something like a door that opens up, wind comes in, and then closes behind, and wind goes away. This flux in energy could be the manifestation part of a spirit which will gather ions in the atmosphere to be seen or move something.

Many witnesses explain a tingling feeling or the temperature will go down about 10 to 20 degrees. Hair will stand on end. Ears will prick up, and then they will see a spot that will grow larger from the point of appearance. If you ever got up from a horizontal position to a vertical one, many will get the same type of experience of a spot that grows larger in front of their eyes. Always remember that when interviewing your client, for debunking later. Many often see an outline of a man with a hat or a woman in her scarf. Often at the end of their beds watching them, but they seem never to touch. Often people will get “Old Hag Syndrome”, which is the paralysis that occurs and being able to observe them wandering around and even hearing what they have to say to you or others that they bring with them. This is most terrorizing for the frail of heart. The whole experience lasts a couple of minutes, but when the witness is finally freed, they are gone.

Malevolent ghosts would do the same, but often shown more than an outline or shadow. Could this be a malevolent ghost that could not form into a form? Some say they see a blob instead of humanoid type of shadow.

As we learn more about science and new particle cells which is now being found due advancements. We might learn something totally different. There is lots of information about “Shadow People”. Just google it.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Christmas Ghosts

We've all read about Scrooge and his experiences with Christmas Ghosts. That's fiction, but there are some spirits that only become active during the holidays.

We have some here in Fort Lauderdale in one our historical landmark. It's called the River House Inn and our first ghost, her name is Barbara Estelle Bryan Umbro. Although in the Evergreen Cemetery she's Barbara Estelle Bryan which her new husband Mr. Umbro seems to be total erased from Broward County's death records. We still can't find the reason this was so.

Barbara Estelle Bryan

Barbara's ghost loves the holidays. Employees who say they would see her ghost more around Christmas. She has been spotted by patrons all year round sporadically but it's the holidays that she seems to be more comfortable to make her appearances. Employees that would get a glimpse of her slowly descending from the ceiling. If the worker looks at her head on...she would vanish. Most of them said, that to view her you would have to look from the peripheral side view. Although patrons who ate at the historical landmark turned restaurant would be get to see her full faced strolling up the veranda in her white dress. Her arm would carry the long length of her lace dress, but she would never talk. Some say that they interact with her. She would curtsy, bow her head and move on.

Her mischief would be against those who work at her home or those she did not like who ate in her bedroom. Waiters would say that she would knock over the sugar canisters. One employee, had her tray lift up over her head, like being hit up from underneath. Those who ate in her room who sometimes have the lights turned off. On her worst days she would bounce pictures and mirrors off the walls. One old heavy mirror has bounced off the wall into the middle of her room and crack. This happen about 4 times till the owner of the restaurant took it out of her room and now is on the eastern side of the eating establishment...double sticky taped to the wall now, the mirror hasn't moved since it's removal from her bedroom.

On the Eastern side of the River House Inn, there is another ghost of a young boy. Although this spirit died as a man, we believe he's a high spirit (crossed over and able to come back at any age)that loves Christmas time. His home was the first to get electricity and his father had convinced General Electric to bring a electrical power plant to Fort Lauderdale in 1912. He was 8 in 1912 when they electrified his home to have power. We assume that's the reason he comes back as a eight year old. His name is Perry Bryan.

The spirit of Perry wears white pants, white shirt, black belt, black shoes and often carrying a ball. Many of the patrons would complain of a child playing on the steps between the first and second floor. Those who dine with children and don't pay attention to their child will find them missing in the house. When found they would say..."I was playing ball with a boy." When asked to show them the child with the ball, he would never be found.

During the holidays, the whole house would be decorated in Christmas lights. Several trees would be adorned in all the trimming, especially lights. Vivian, the manager of the River House Inn till it's closings in 2009, would be the last person out. She would have to turn off all the Christmas decorations by hand, turn on the security system and leave. Sometimes she would go to a local tavern that was up the street for the old restaurant. Upon returning, she would find the entire house lit and all the decorations plugged back into the sockets. She would go inside, shut off the security system and re-unplug the decorations and go home. On many occasions the day crew would call her and say, "Why didn't you unplug the decorations?" After a while, the staff would get to know Perry on a regular basis.

Patrons and workers would sometimes find that their cell phones, digital cameras and other electrical devices would be drained. Employees knew to always have their chargers with them on those occasions. Many patrons to my tour would often have their cameras drained from Lithium batteries that often would last for 15 hours be drained in seconds.

Perry as a boy in door window.

May the spirits of season touch your heart this holiday time. Fort Lauderdale Ghost Tour still goes to the River House Inn. If you would like to see and hear more stories about the ghosts of Downtown Fort Lauderdale book your tour and maybe you'll get a experience to tell your family and friends over and over again.

Click here to get to Ghost Tour Website

Friday, October 29, 2010

John Marc Carr on WFTL 850 talk radio

John Marc Carr talks to Russ Morley on his morning talk Radio Show about the SEFGR's event for Fire Station #3 this Halloween Day, Oct. 31st 2010.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Added some new pictures take on my Fort Lauderdale Ghost Tour

Recently we've been getting unusual pictures of mist forming at the New River Inn, orbs at the Bryan Home and even a full apparition at the Stranahan House.