Long time no blog! I came back for the best time of year, spooky season, for at least one more ghost story. While I was in between working on some other projects and spinning my wheels, I went on an exploratory mission in Virginia Chronicle to see what new things might be worth sharing. I came across mention of a Moon ghost that seemed like a poltergeist, and of course I went off to investigate.
The most extensive coverage of the ghost took place in the Scottsville Register, which does not appear to have been digitized yet in Virginia Chronicle. The accounts, however, were of enough interest other papers reprinted the Scottsville coverage, with varying degrees of credulity. Until the Register is fully available, here's what I could find:
The Location
The haunting occurred at a farm called Church Hill near Scottsville, owned by the Moon family. It was situated "[t]welve miles southeast of the city of Charlottesville, near the road leading to the town of Scottsville, on the summit of a gently sloping hill, . . . surrounded by oaks and evergreens" (Times). Additional physical location clues come from the story of the Roosevelts buying Pine Knot, an adjoining property, in the News Leader on November 25, 1905:
Adjoining [Pine Knot] on the north is the farm of Mr. Wilmer, a close friend of the president and his family. On the south side is the Oliver plantation, on the east, a farm owned by S. R. Gault, of Scottsville, and on the west “Church Hill," better known as "The Old Moon Ghost Place,” occupied by John Brown.
The last-named home has quite a history, having boasted sundry spooks and phantoms in days gone by, but that is another story, and then the ghosts do not walk any longer, so they will not disturb the Roosevelts.
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| "Cabin," by C. D. Gedney. Image courtesy the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2004661705/ |
The Haunting of the Moons
The Moons had owned the property since the 1820s, apparently without trouble, until 1867 (often given by sources erroneously as 1868, as that was when the news seemed to have spread beyond Scottsville.) The Richmond Dispatch of August 10, 1902 says the farm was owned after the Civil War by "Mr. Schuyler Moon, the father of Senator F. C. Moon." The Rockbridge County News of October 22, 1925, gives the name of the patriarch as "Mr. John S. Moon," so it seems he went by his middle name habitually.
The Times of January 11, 1903, gives a more vivid picture of the family, which explains in some ways why the case became notable: "The Moon family of Albemarle have always been distinguished for strength of intellect and [un]impeachable integrity of character. That one of the most intelligent and highly respected members of that honorable family should have been the victim of strange and unaccountable disturbances greatly increased the interest and mystery surrounding this remarkable case."
The first unusual occurrence, as related by the Times in 1903, was:
One night strange noises were heard in different parts of the house, and the children, suddenly awakened and frightened almost into unconsciousness, ran into their mother's chamber and could not be induced to return to their own rooms that night. Mr. Moon, taking a lighted candle— kerosene lamps were scarce in those days and everybody used tallow candles— started to discover the cause of the unusual disturbance, but the light was soon extinguished by some unknown agency, and he was compelled to retreat in the dark.
After this, Mr. Moon and some male friends occupied the house, trying to uncover the truth about the ghost.
Night after night, they watched and searched in vain. Sometimes they would hear a terrific noise in a distant part of the house, but when they started to investigate, their lights would invariably be extinguished before they had gotten far. Examination by daylight however, would always reveal the fact that nothing had been disturbed, although the noises would have indicated that every piece of furniture in certain rooms was being smashed to pieces. A group of men would be gathered in Mr. Moon's chamber, every door and window securely fastened. Toward midnight, they would partake of some light refreshments, when a strange form would suddenly appear in the middle of the room and with a deliberate sweep of its arm would brush the glass and china from the table, and as suddenly vanish. Loud knocking at the front door, and the rattling of the lock, would bring the men into the hall, and a great many pistol shots were fired through the door in the hope of wounding or killing the "ghost." Sometimes the noise was on the roof of the house, where apparently some one was tearing off the shingles at a furious rate, but it would be found next day that the roof had not been damaged. Whenever the mysterious form was seen near the house, it would be shot at, when it would immediately disappear, and instantly a wild, unearthly scream would be heard several hundred yards from the house.
The last note, about the form being seen outside, was discussed in more depth in the Richmond Dispatch of 1902, and it is almost fantastical compared to the other accounts so far:
One night a lady of the household and her nephew sat up to watch for the spectre, and about midnight, there being a brilliant moon, a form was seen to wriggle through the grass and across the porch like unto a serpent. When the boy was aroused he fired at the object, and though ten feet away, it arose and rebounded like a rubber ball, turned several somersaults, and bounded off.
In addition to the noises and sightings, more standard practical joke escapades were mentioned, such as "the spectre was to go through every room in the house, take some trivial article and leave them all in a bundle on the lawn" (Richmond Dispatch) The "ghost" appeared to be an impressive marksman, with the Dispatch of 1902 claiming it "several times fired at the inmates of the house, evidently with the intention of frightening but not to kill. . . for he would often shoot at the ladies and the bullets would go through their hair without touching their heads."
The Rockbridge County News article of 1925, working from a contemporary account, frames the lengthy earlier article as:
The Moon home was visited every night by a man who quietly entered through locked windows and doors and left leaving the windows and doors open. Sometimes he pilfered a little, generally he did not. His actions caused Mr. Moon and his family to take gun and pistol to protect the premises and to call in neighbors, similarly armed, to guard them. The man could be observed about the premises slipping in and out through the shrubbery in the midnight hours and later; was often fired at by Mr. Moon and his family and friends, but had a charmed life.
At some point in this harassment, a bounty of $1000 was placed on the ghost's head. Though it appears it was never claimed, allegedly hundreds of men converged on Church Hill to try to capture the ghost. Students from the University of Virginia often stood watch and participated in trying to wound or kill the perpetrator. The Dispatch goes on to say:
Time and time again, a special guard, about twenty in number, was set around the yard fence, and students from the University of Virginia came several times to camp on the lawn and keep watch. On one occasion, the ghost came in at break of day; several of the guards fired at him, and uttering piercing yells, he fled to the woods. Examining the spot where he was shot, they found what appeared to be tracks of blood. Assuming that he was severely wounded and could not travel fast, and it being a very cold morning, they decided to wait for daylight to search for him. In the meanwhile they had a cup of coffee, and, on a second examination of the tracks, they found them, much to their chagrin, to represent blood, which the spook had left behind for the express purpose of deceiving them.
Chronological Incidents and Speculation
Many of the stories are covered in broad strokes, but the extended period over which they occurred was perhaps one of the most notable aspects of the haunting. Aside from the Gazette and Banner reprinting of the Scottsville Register article (which is too long to reprint in full, but very enlightening to see how news was distorted by later sources), I found the following notices of activity:
The Spirit of Jefferson, December 31, 1867, reprinted an account of the Moon Ghost from December 20:
The following are the particulars of what occurred during the past week: On Saturday night last, two gentlemen were in company with Mr. Moon, at his residence; it was exceedingly cold, and the ground was covered with snow. Inasmuch as Mr. Moon had not been annoyed by lights or noise, or the presence of "the mysterious man," the company enjoyed themselves by the fireside until midnight, in social conversation-the two neighbors being much fatigued from the labors of the day, proposed to lie down by the fire and take a nap, which they did, Mr M retiring at the same time to his chamber on the second floor. Before retiring, Mr. H, one of the guard, locked all the doors, leaving the key of the front door on the inside. - About an hour after all the parties had retired. Mr. Moon being unwell, got up and went down into the dining room for the purpose of getting some medicine, when he discovered the large family Bible and other articles had been taken from a table and placed on the floor, and a damask cloth, which had covered the table, was missing. On awaking the guard and examining the doors it as ascertained that some one had opened the back door with a false key, taken out the key of the front door, walked close by the guard, stolen the damask cloth, gone out at the back door, and locked it as he made his exit. His object in taking out the front door key must have been to enable him to escape through that door in the event he should be approached from the opposite side of the house. It is evident that he entered at the back door as but one track could be seen in the snow in front, and that was made by one of the guard. Paths, well trodden, led from the back door, and it was impossible to track him.
The Alexandria Gazette of March 11, 1868, notes that after Mr. Moon had been absent on a trip south, the poltergeist had been relatively quiet.
The Staunton Spectator, July 7, 1868, printed a cheeky solution to the Moon family's issue from a local:
About two months since we were in Frederick county, Va. We there met with Mr. Abraham Myers, who seemed to take a great deal of interest in the Moon Ghost. He was an intelligent (though we think somewhat eccentric) gentleman. He spoke earnestly and fluently on the subject, and averred that if the three last chapters of Daniel were read aloud on the premises the "Ghost"' would disappear, at least for a time. On our return home we made this known. The chapters were read and the Ghost ceased operations; but within the past few days he has commenced in full blast— knocking out windows and acting as badly and as fearlessly as ever. Mr. Myers, who is a wealthy gentleman, requested us, in case the Ghost returned, to inform him, and he would come over and silence him forever. Of course, "the honor and glory" of dispensing with the Ghost's services for all time will compensate Mr. M without any extra charge. We shall look for him.
Apparently Mr. Myers did not make the trip to Scottsville, judging by the continued activity in the newspaper record.
The Daily Dispatch, September 4, 1868, reported speculation that "It is rumored over here that Mr. Moon is his own ghost, and that he enjoys the fun hugely." The novelty must have been wearing on the public by this point, as the Staunton Spectator, September 8, 1868, took a jab at the Scottsville Register's common sense: "The venerable editor of the Scottsville Register seems to have no faith in the protective virtues of lightning rods, and goes so far as to express the belief that 'more houses are struck with rods attached, in proportion, than those without them.' He lives, we fear, too near to the 'Moon Ghost.' He has doubtless more faith in ghosts than lightning rods."
The reporting goes quiet for a while, perhaps with the rising sentiment of being hoaxed. Revisiting the activity in the Daily Dispatch on November 8, 1870, we learn "The Moon ghost has made his appearance again, and is 'turning up Jack' generally on his old play-ground."
By the time the Alexandria Gazette, February 3, 1871 ran a short notice, the Moon ghost was well-known enough to be shorthand for similar poltergeist-type activity: "The Thrasher ghost in Botetourt still comes and goes; and we see it stated that the Moon ghost in Albemarle has revived." A similar report appeared in the Staunton Spectator, February 7, 1871: "The Moon ghost is said by the Scottsville Register to be at his old pranks again, and Rev. Mr. Thrasher, of Buchanan, is still tormented by the strange visitant that has annoyed him for several months." The story reached the Winchester Times on February 15, 1871: "'The Moon Ghost' continues his nocturnal visits at the former residence of Mr. Moon— throwing his lights around &c., &c. The Buchanan Ghost is also still at work, and is seen both day and night. He is said to be after a Baptist preacher." Per the Winchester article, we can deduce the Moons gave up staying on the premises by this point in the ordeal.
Around the same time, the Daily Dispatch of February 7, 1871, ran a more comprehensive list of activities:
The Moon Ghost on last Monday night was more rampant than usual. His thumping and rapping on and around the house kept all of the inmates awake. He, she, or it, is no humbug of a ghost. Many of our readers do not believe what has been said of this mysterious affair, but we can assure them that one-half of the mysterious and unaccountable movements of the ghost have not been published. We do not believe that the old detective Hays, reputed to be the best in the United States, could detect the intruder, or account for his being willing to give so much labor night after night, through rain, snow, and mud, in order to annoy the unoffending occupants of the house. It is evident that he is not a thief, for he steals nothing. He had repeated opportunities of stealing Mr. Moon's silverware, but he has never taken anything except a little whiskey and sugar.
The first article to name a possible culprit appeared in the Daily Enquirer, May 16, 1871:
The Scottsville Register ridicules the idea that Lucien Beard was the “Moon ghost,” as at the time that bright particular spirit was abroad, walking the earth, Lucien was safety locked up in the penitentiary. It is a question of veracity between Lucien, the ghost, and the Register. Suppose we consult the sprite. We'll “take the ghost's word for a thousand pounds.”
It seems of the newspapers that have been digitized, the Daily Dispatch was the most invested in following the story to its end. On January 29, 1874, they followed up on their previous reporting:
We visited the locality of these wonderful manifestations a few days since, and not having heard a solution of the mystery we experienced a rather uncomfortable sensation about the head, arising, we presume, from the effort of each individual hair to assume the vertical. Our apprehensions, however, were allayed by meeting a gentleman evidently made after the same image as ourself, who informed us that the ghost had been suspected of the very unspiritual pastime of horse-stealing, and being pressed pretty close had taken its flight to more congenial climes. So, our hair resuming the horizontal, we listened to particulars, and gathered, that a band of horsethieves had been in the habit of visiting the place on their regular trips with their ill-gotten booty, and hid the horses in a dense pine thicket near the dwelling, where they were fed and cared for by a person living on the farm in Mr. Moon's employ, who was connected with the gang. Their reckless characters, doubtless to subserve their own ends, played the strange tricks, which were greatly exaggerated by alarm and frequent repetition. Be that as it may, an arrest or two and criminal prosecution, and the ghost disappeared. Putting this and that together, we confess our belief that the spiritual part of the story has received a severe shock.
The Bristol News of February 3, 1874 was the last of the contemporaneous articles found, reconfirming the horse thief gang explanation: "The Moon Ghost turns out to have been one of Moon's servants who fed a number of horsethieves outside and in concert with him. In all of these ghost sensations there is a traitor in the house."
Lucien Beard was a well-documented horse thief, primarily covered by the Richmond papers, active from the end of the 1860s through the 1870s. He was first picked up for stealing a horse and buggy in September 1868; skipped bail and headed west in February of 1870, was arrested again in February of 1871, and sentenced to 18 years in the penitentiary in April 1871. He escaped custody almost immediately. Beard allegedly confessed to harassing the Moon family due to Mr. Moon's involvement in his prosecution for the first theft. Beard himself was a colorful enough character he may be worth his own post in the future, as his exploits are remarkable and the apparent outcome surprisingly wholesome.
Beyond the 1870s
As is usually the case, by having an interesting ghost story reduced to human action - even something as sensational as a rowdy gang of sharpshooting, escape artist horse thieves - the apparent "real" cause slipped into obscurity by the turn of the twentieth century. The Richmond Dispatch, August 10, 1902, said, "One theory advanced by outsiders was that, there was a gold mine located on the place and the one person who did all this wished to frighten away the members of the household and have the field to himself." A year later, the Times, January 11, 1903 claimed:
The mystery has never been explained. Numerous and conflicting theories were advanced, to all of which there were serious objections. We say we do not believe in "ghosts," and doubtless we are sincere in making that statement, and yet are we not continually surrounded by mysteries that we cannot hope to understand? The mind of man, which in its range of exploration, discovery and achievement, has no fixed limit, may sometimes invade the territory of the supernatural and invisible, and encounter forms and conditions that he is unable to comprehend or describe. This being true, may it not be also true that the inhabitants of that mysterious realm sometimes visit our domain, where their presence and doings are equally inexplicable?
Descendants of the Moon family collaborated with historical society events in the 1930s and 1940s, and more stories of sensational ghostly activity emerged from these speeches. However, given the time removed from the events, I am hesitant to include them in our contemporary accounts, especially as they seemed designed to be deliberately sensationalized for the Halloween season. Of note was, at least, a mention that Church Hill had many strange closets in the house, including one that gave access to the roof, which was such a hotbed of activity in the height of the disturbances it was dubbed "the ghost closet." The only "reputable" publication mentioning the haunting at Church Hill was "The Albemarle of Other Days," (pages 123-24) which is now free to read. It retains only the poltergeist aspect, not the more mundane explanations.
Further Reading and Related Ghosts
While it is too long to print in full, the Gazette and Banner reprinting of the full Scottsville Register account on November 27, 1867, may be read at Virginia Chronicle.
The oldest report of a "copycat" found to date ran in Native Virginian for January 3, 1868, indicating even this early in the haunting, the news was sensational enough to travel. While this particular case was attributed to a chicken, you may find it amusing.
The Shepherdstown Register of April 4, 1868 reports on another copycat incident striking three houses, with the most dramatic event being a window opened and a trunk thrown outside, but no contents taken.
The Alexandria Gazette of August 11, 1868 mentioned "There is a “Moon Ghost,” or something very similar, playing pranks in the residence Dr. Williams, in Memphis. If the ghost is not shot in Memphis, it is past shooting!"
The Alexandria Gazette reported on January 10, 1871: "The Buchanan 'Ghost,' according to the Fincastle Herald, still continues on the rampage at the house of Rev. George C. Thrasher, despite all efforts to overhaul him. The family of Mr.Thrasher are represented as being seriously troubled by his visits. Perhaps it is the celebrated 'Moon Ghost,' from Scottsville."
No other explicit connection seems to have been drawn - yet - between other similar ghost activity in this period and Lucien Beard and his gang, but keep an eye out for a potential sequel or two.
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