Paranormal in Mississippi

My name is Paula Hayes , and I'm the Co-founder for Southern Paranormal and Anomaly Research Society (SPARS). We are a southern paranormal group with Chapters in S.C. N.C. Ga. Al. Fla. TN. Ms. Tx. You'll be reading about some of the most incredible places that we explore. Not only will they peak your interest in history, but your curiosity of the paranormal. I'll be featuring diffent places through out the South. We start of with the state of Mississippi. And all the haunted locations that we visit there. You may find your self in these areas, and may want to go visit them for yourself. Our first stop is in Natchez, and this is where I'm still working. But we will start off with our investigation of the King's Tavern.

History:

King's Tavern was built in 1769. It's the oldest building in Natchez.. Built from ships and barges that came from New Orleans that come up the Mississippi River. The King's Tavern every bit looks like a 18th century Tavern.

A man named Richard King bought the location in 1789. Giving it it's name the King's Tavern. He turned it inot a Tavern and Inn.for weary traveler's of the Natchez Trace and the Mississippi River.

In the 1930's while workers were expanding the fireplace. The remains of three people were found. A woman, and two Men, on the floor near them was a jeweled daggar, which was assumed to be the murder weapon.

The story goes that the woman in the wall was named Madeline. She was the Lover of Richard King. And when he found her unfaithful, he bricked her up in the wall. The other two are unknown. But it is said that Madeline still to this day haunts King's Tavern.

There is a report of a baby crying also in the resturant. It's said that it is the spirit of a baby that was savagely murdered by Mason "Big" Harpe. One of the natorious Harpe Brothers. Known as Big Harpe and Little Harpe. Big Harpe had come down for breakfast while staying at the Tavern, and there was a woman with a child there. The baby was crying, and Big Harpe walked over and held out his arms as if he wanted to try to confort the child. The Mother handed the baby over and Big Harpe grabbed the child by his ankles and smashed his skull against the brick wall killing , the child instantly. As the mother crumpled to the floor distraught over the murder of her child. Big Harpe went over and ordered a drink.

Other claims are as follows- The workers see figures in the mirrors, along with shadowy figures on the stair case. There seems to always be a warm spot on the bed upstairs. I myself witnessed this. I couldn't debunk it. My partner and I tore up the bed trying to figure it out. Faucets turning on and off. Wet foot prints along the bathroom floor upstairs. By the way you can rent this room for the night if you'd like. There has also been a man in period clothing seen roaming around the building. He's even shown up in a few photographs. Dishes being thrown and guests and staff. And a uneasy presure on the head or neck and or shoulders has been felt. The history I was given to me by Eric Wiliams of Historic Natchez Tours.

Well I took my team in there, and this is our report on the King's Tavern.

King’s Tavern Investigation

619 Jefferson Street
Natchez, MS 39120-3319

March 6^th, 2010

Lead Investigator :Paula Hayes

Team Lead: Candie Ball

Investigators: Cheryl Mitchell, Kristi Tanner, Trent Lewis, Andrea Wade, Lee Lindsey,

Kenny Medina, Mike Barlow {Tenn. Chapter}, Robert Hemmings {Tenn.

Chapter}

Arrival: 10:30 I met with the client, and the team started set up.

Equipment- 4 Channel DVR with I.R. Cameras, 1 Independent camera with night shot, 7 audio recorder 5 digital, 1 analog, multiple EMF detectors, k-2 meters, ambient air thermometers, 1 weather station located at base. I ghost box modified Radio shack radio model # 12-587. 1 motion detector

DVR cameras were set up in the two first floor dining rooms, and in the second floor dining rooms, Stationasry camera was set in the 3^rd floor bedroom. Audio recorders – One was set at the enterance at the back door, One was in the main dining room on the first floor at the fire place, One was set in the second dining area on the first floor, audio recorders on the second floor were set in each dining area and I the pantry, audio recorders were set on the 3^rd floor, one in the bathroom along with a motion detector, and a audio was set in the bedroom, and recorder was set up in the attic.

Review of clients paranormal claims- A female has been seen in various locations, in the resteraunt, the sound of people talking{Primarily in the main dining are and on the stair case Bodies were found bricked up in the weall of the fire place when rertoritive work was done on the fire place}. People have been seen in the windows of the establishment,on the seconds floor windows. The chain in the main first floor dining room swings on it’s own, a baby is heard crying in the second dining room on the first floor, {This is the location in which it is said a baby was murderd, by blunt force trama against one of the brick walls.}In the bedroom on the second floor warm spots appear for no reason in the bed, again voices and shadows are seen and heard in this area. Also in the bathroom the sound of water running has been reported along with the appearance of wet footprints on the floor. Noices are often heard in the second floor pantry alond with the raising and lowering of the dumb waiter. Client has also said that his staff has had mysterious mood changes in the kitchen this could be due to the extrememly high EMF, in that location. Figures have also been seen in the swinging door between the kitchen and main dining area.

Start time 12:45-

Base Team :Cheryl , Kristi, , Kenny, Robert

Team 1 : Paula, Mike, Andrea – location second dining room on first floor

Team 2 : Candie, Stephanie, Lee – location third floor bedroom area

For team one readings were as followed- start EMF 0.0 Mg and end 0.0 mg, temp.69.0F, and end temp. 68.7. We conducted a ghost box session @ 12:50 we kept picking up college A.M. station this interfered with experiment, so nothing anomolus noted from this. @ 1:00 a.m. we started regular EVP session.

1:05 we heard the motion detector went off in the bathroom on the 3^rd floor. No other activity was noted.

Session ended @ 1:12 a.m.

1:22 A.M. Team 1 Paula, Kristi, and Kenny – Location second floor second dining room. Readings were as followed EMF .3-.2 Mg, Temp 62 F. Kristi got severasl spikes at veranda door as high as 1.1 mg, and at 1:27 A.M. the wall we had a spike of 6.0 probably due to copper wire. We started EVP session at 1:29

1:39 Kenny and Paula heard the floor next to them start to creak sounded like someone walking. We observed nothing.

1:45 Kristi took another EMF sweep, she obtained a .6 mg at the green door that went to the veranda. Around this same time we heard a knocking in the pantry, as if somone were moving around in there. When we went to investigatre we found no one oin this location, and nothing else anomolous was noted

Session end 1:47

2:15 team 1 Paula, Trent , Andrea, Kenny, Robert

Location third floor Bedroom readings were as followed EMF .04 through out entire session Temp 66.3 through out entire session

2:20 EVP session conducted around 2:45 flashlight started coming on after questioning. But not consiustant to questioning. I can not say that I am conviced this was due to paranormal activity. We moveds it to differne t locations in the room, and it continued to come on, off and on, and we would ar it and bump it and it would not go off.

Session ended @3:22

Evidence gathered. I had only I recorder to review , it was the recorder located in the service area by the back door, there was tramendous noice contamination due to equipment. No EVP’s noted.

Upon review of DVR footage @ 3 hrs 56 mins I believe we obsearved what appears to be a form manifesting and moving in front of the window in the second dining room on the second floor, this confirms claimes that a person has been seen standin g in this window.

I feel that all investigators did a very good job. It was a first investigation with SPARS for some of these members. They followed direction well and conducted themselved in aprofessional manner. The only thing that I saw was that members need to work on staying still and being quiet, and allowing enough time in between questioning in the EVP sessions. But even with that being said I feel the team did a great ob overall.

As far as the findings at King’s Tavern, I was hoping to see more activity, the lack of activirty could be dur to the size of the team we had, and of course we can’t make activity occur and it could be that a decreased amout of activity tends to happen around me.. I do feel that the King’s Tavern is active. I do not feel it warrents a followup, but would take the opportunity to do again if given the opportunity. I found the King;s Tavern facinating ,a dn as far as innkeeper Tom, I found him agreeable and accomodating