Natchez Cemetary

Well folks it's me again. Paula Hayes the founder of Southern Paranormal and Anomaly Research Society. "SPARS" Once again another story about Natchez and our paranormal findings. We investigated the Natchez Cemetery. Sitting upon the bluffs of the "Devil's Punch Bowl" looking over the mighty Mississippi River. I had the pleasure of meeting with Don Estes the author of the book"Legends " of the Natchez Cemetery. He was wonderful enough to show myself my team around the 100 acre cemetery, and proceeded to tell the history of so many that lay here.

Well the cemetery began in 1821. Bodies were moved from the memorial park to this location. The first person buried here was in Jan. 1822. The cemetary was split into different sections. Zurhellen 1, and Zurhellen plot 2, Hospital Addition, The Jewish section, Catholic Hill, Masonic Lot, and of course the Paupers Grounds in the very back. This place is truely beautiful, with all it's grand monuments, and family cripts. YOu truely need to see this place if you go to Natchez. It's breathtaking at sunset. But be sure to get out before they close the gates at sundown..

Paranormal History : One of the locations that we will have a team is Catholic Hill. This is were there has been a apparition of a young woman down in the lane where the Gypsy graves and the palper graves are. These grave pre-date the Civil War. Another location we will set a team is in the Zurhellen Addition at the front of the cemetery this is the site of the turning Angel. Another location is in the Case Addition this is where Florence Irene n Ford's grave is . Ilene 10 years old died of yellow fever in 1871. Her Mother distraught over her death Had the little girl buried in a cast Iron "Toe Pincher" casket with a glass window over her face The Mother had cement steps built down to the head of the casket and installed a glass window. Two iron lids can cover the steps in bad weather. Her Mother would sit with her , and pray, talk and read to her daughter. Now a eerie glowing energy has been seen emerging from the grave some nights.. Memorial Cemetery section this is reserved for Military. This is over the Devil Punch bowl itself the site of the death of 15 thousand freed slaves due to disease, and starvation. We will be posting teams all over the cemetery. Sightings of apparitions have taken place all over. Sources of these claim came from Don Estes's book "Legends of the Natchez Cememtery"

Subject: Re: Natchez Cemetary "Reports Only" MARCH 20, 2010 Sun Mar 07, 2010 6:06 pm The Natchez City Cemetery, established in 1822, is the largest cemetery in Adams County. Located on Cemetery Road, on the north side of the city, the cemetery is situated on a bluff overlooking the MS River. It is approximately 95 acres in size.

At one time, the old Charity Hospital stood just south of the cemetery, but burned on Sunday, August 5, 1984. The cemetery was established in 1821, but it contains graves dating to the 1700's. Over the years, several parcels of land were either purchased or donated, thus increasing the size of the cemetery.

The Cemetery is comprised of fifteen sections:

Plot 1 - Old Catholic
Plot II
Plot III
Case Addition
Fields Addition
Catholic HIll
Jewish Hill
Zurhellen I
Zurhellen II
Zurhellen III
Hospital Additon
Browns Additon
Browns Final Addition
Public Ground
Sullivan's Addition



Notable Gravesites:



ALDRICH, Lyman G. - Wrote the last General Order for the Confederacy, during the Civil War. 1839 - 1901
BEEKMAN, Rosalie - The only civilian casualty of the Civil War, in Natchez. Killed during a Union gunboat bombardment from the Mississippi River. 1855 - 1862
DAHLGREN, Brigadier General Charles G. - Commander of the 3rd Mississippi Regiment - CSA - 1811 - 1888
DOCKERY, Brigadier General Thomas P. - Commander of the 19th Arkansas Infantry, - CSA - 1835 - 1898
HUNTER, John - Twice called for the surrender of Natchez during the Civil War. - 1816 - 1863
LAMBERT, James W. - Co-founder of the Natchez Democrat, one of the first Natchez newspapers. CSA veteran who served with the 16th Mississippi Regiment. 1839 - 1906
LEATHERS, Captain Thomas P. - Captain of the steamboat Natchez that raced against the Robert E. Lee in 1870, on the Mississippi River - 1816 - 1896
QUITMAN, General John A. - Mexican War hero, Governor of Mississippi, and Natchez Congressman. Died of food poisoning at inaugural banquet for President James Buchanan. 1799 - 1858
VIDAL, Don Jose - Governor of Natchez Spanish Distric in 1798. Also, Commandant of the Vidalia, LA post, and Spanish Consul at Natchez after the Americans gained control of the territory. Vidalia, Concordia Parish, LA is named for him. 1765 - 1828
YORK, Brigadier General Zebulon - Commander of Louisiana Troops during the Civil War. 1819 - 1900



http://www.natchezbelle.org/adams-ind/ncc2.htm

The Turning Angel
There is a statue of an angel at the front of the cemetery that, as you approach from a particular angle, appears to turn to greet you. This has been the subject of Natchez legend throughout the years... but the thing about it is, this legend is true. Because of this, the statue has been dubbed, "The Turning Angel". In this case, there is a logical explanation. If you read the inscription on the stature, it says: "Erected by the Natchez Drug Company to the memory of the unfortunate employees who lost their lives in the great disaster that destroyed its building on march 14, 1908." The five girls who were killed are buried under the watchful gaze of the angel. The Natchez Drug Company commissioned the statue, and the artist carved it in such a way to form an optical illusion. Approaching the statue from the correct angle makes it appear to turn as you grow nearer.


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Buried Sitting Up
One rather large monument off of Steamboat Street in the cemetery is inscribed as, "Sacred to the memory of Rufus E. Case, who died at Wallenstein, La, November 29th, 1858. Aged 31 Years & 8 Months. Thy Will Not Mine, O Lord" The monument is in three tiers - three boxes really, stacked on top of each other. According to the book Historic Natchez City Cemetery, the reason behind this is that Rufus wanted to be buried in his rocking chair, facing his Louisiana home. A child in his family had died before him, and so his rocking chair was positioned beside the young one's grave, and the tomb was built around him.


Afraid Of Thunderstorms
Florence Irene Ford (Sept 3, 1861 - Oct 30, 1871) died of yellow fever. Her family was distraught over her death, but her mother was especially devistated. She had a special coffin constructed for her daughter that had a glass window to display her body. Furthermore, when the grave was dug, Mrs. Ford had a set of concrete steps constructed so that she could descend them and look into the grave through a special glass windown that she had the workmen install. Because her daughter was terrified of thunderstorms, every time it would rain Mrs. Ford would descend the stairs and sit there by her daughter's coffin, separated only by the thin glass wall. She could also gaze at her deceased child through the glass of the coffin. After the mother's death, the glass wall was covered by concrete to prevent vandalism, but today you can still descend the steps to Florence's grave.

The Name Says It All...
According to the book Historic Natchez City Cemetery, Louise was a prostitute who worked in a brothel down Under the Hill after the Civil War. There are many colorful stories about the poor girl; that she had become stranded in Natchez and was forced into such a life just to survive, or that her fiancee abandoned her in town without any means to get by, and prostitution became her only way of life. In any case, she died of tuberculosis and was buried in the city cemetery with the simple epitaph, "Louise the Unfortunate".

Subject: Re: Natchez Cemetary "Reports Only" MARCH 20, 2010 Sun Mar 07, 2010 6:06 pm The Natchez City Cemetery, established in 1822, is the largest cemetery in Adams County. Located on Cemetery Road, on the north side of the city, the cemetery is situated on a bluff overlooking the MS River. It is approximately 95 acres in size.

At one time, the old Charity Hospital stood just south of the cemetery, but burned on Sunday, August 5, 1984. The cemetery was established in 1821, but it contains graves dating to the 1700's. Over the years, several parcels of land were either purchased or donated, thus increasing the size of the cemetery.

The Cemetery is comprised of fifteen sections:

Plot 1 - Old Catholic
Plot II
Plot III
Case Addition
Fields Addition
Catholic HIll
Jewish Hill
Zurhellen I
Zurhellen II
Zurhellen III
Hospital Additon
Browns Additon
Browns Final Addition
Public Ground
Sullivan's Addition



Notable Gravesites:



ALDRICH, Lyman G. - Wrote the last General Order for the Confederacy, during the Civil War. 1839 - 1901
BEEKMAN, Rosalie - The only civilian casualty of the Civil War, in Natchez. Killed during a Union gunboat bombardment from the Mississippi River. 1855 - 1862
DAHLGREN, Brigadier General Charles G. - Commander of the 3rd Mississippi Regiment - CSA - 1811 - 1888
DOCKERY, Brigadier General Thomas P. - Commander of the 19th Arkansas Infantry, - CSA - 1835 - 1898
HUNTER, John - Twice called for the surrender of Natchez during the Civil War. - 1816 - 1863
LAMBERT, James W. - Co-founder of the Natchez Democrat, one of the first Natchez newspapers. CSA veteran who served with the 16th Mississippi Regiment. 1839 - 1906
LEATHERS, Captain Thomas P. - Captain of the steamboat Natchez that raced against the Robert E. Lee in 1870, on the Mississippi River - 1816 - 1896
QUITMAN, General John A. - Mexican War hero, Governor of Mississippi, and Natchez Congressman. Died of food poisoning at inaugural banquet for President James Buchanan. 1799 - 1858
VIDAL, Don Jose - Governor of Natchez Spanish Distric in 1798. Also, Commandant of the Vidalia, LA post, and Spanish Consul at Natchez after the Americans gained control of the territory. Vidalia, Concordia Parish, LA is named for him. 1765 - 1828
YORK, Brigadier General Zebulon - Commander of Louisiana Troops during the Civil War. 1819 - 1900



http://www.natchezbelle.org/adams-ind/ncc2.htm

We did our first investigation March 20th 2010. It was awful weather. We did this in the middle of a thunder storm, and dropping temps. The following are the notes from the investigation.

Hey Everyone, here are the notes from the investigation. There are not many experiences noted, mostly readings. As I am sure everyone remembers, the weather made it impossible to do Real Time Notes that night.

Start time 9:15 weather station readings:
TEMP 64.9
Hum. 70%
Pressure 992
Dew 54.5

Pauper Field:
Temp 61
EMF .0

9:41
Lights seen in trees by several members

9:59 Chatholic Hill
Temp 60
EMF .0

10:05 END
Temp 60.5
EMF .0

10:32 Confed. Block
Temp 57.5
EMF .0
Wind blowing, gaining in speed

11:07 End
Temp 48.5
EMF .0

11:45 Irene Ford Plot

Temp 47.5
EMF .0
shadow seen at gazebo at beginning of session

12:02 End
Temp 46.0
EMF .0

12:45 Gypsy Graves
Temp 46.0
EMF .0

12:50 Flash of light seen in front of Trent

1:00 End
Temp 43.0
EMF .0

1:10 Trent seen a visual ball of light at tree line, all heard sound, of what is thought to have been, muzzleloader fire. More than once.

1:30 Final weather station readings

Temp 43.4
Hum 100%
Pressure 994
Dew 42.8

THANK YOU ALL FOR WORKING IN EXTREME OUTDOOR CONDITIONS

Our findings- We did manage to get one EV from Irene Ford's grave. When the investigator asked how old are you a female voice said 11. This happens to be the age that Irene ford was when she passed. Other than that we had many personal experiences. Cherly Mitchell and I were in the care takers office when the radio came on by it's self. When Cheryl went to investigate. The front door, opened and then the backdoor opens slowly. IT was latched. I got the ghost box and asked how many was here and a voice said one. Then the back door slammed.

Conclusion: Yes I do believe the Natchez Cememtary is active, By the number of peronal experiences we had. We will b e back to do a follow-up I pray in better conditions.