Haunted and Historic Stateline –
Genealogy of Haunted Houses
12-4-2018
By Vicki Ruthe Hahn
SGS – self described Stateline Genealogy Sorter
Beloit Public Library hosted a Halloween Program October 29, 2018 with 54 attending. I don’t even know how I have been assigned to host these programs every year, but it has given me insight into some angles of genealogy that I never considered before the last few years. I really don’t like this aspect of Halloween, but attending and hosting the programs has been interesting. You may have read my companion posting “Other Travelers – Part 1 – Genealogy Psychic Abilities and Me. Do Folks with Psychic Abilities Have an Easier Time Doing Genealogy?”
This year, paranormal investigator and local historian Kathi Kresol, and spirit medium Sara Bowker joined us for local ghost stories:
Sara Bowker, Vicki Ruthe Hahn, and Kathi Kresol
Sara Bowker and some of her fans.
Kathi has written some books about the topic which we have at the Beloit Public Library to check out:
Publisher Haunted America, Publication Date 2017
133.109773 KRESOL
Publisher The History Press,Publication Date 2015
977.331 KRESOL
Kathi and Sara talked about many things that go bump in the night! They explained that spiritual is tied to the land, and that Native American Indians had a lifestyle that honored that. Spirits thus are found near Indian Mounds. Other geographical features that influence the attraction of spirits are running water, and limestone. Now, can you say “Rockton IL, Rockford IL, and Beloit WI?
Fear and charged emotions can feed spirits strong attraction to a location. Historic war re-enactments can trigger spirits activity as well. They mentioned that even a piece of antique furniture from a troubled situation, or a rock from Alcatraz Island Prison can be haunted.
Paranormal research groups have studied the Stephen Mack house in Macktown (Pecatonic) IL, Tinker Swiss Cottage in Rockford IL, and Hanchett-Bartlett Homestead (an 1857 Victorian farmstead house) in Beloit WI. All three have been tested as having paranormal activity, and ghosts.
A trio of ghosts – presumed to be Stephen Mack, his wife Honnenegah, and their son who died young, have been sighted walking together by the Macktown house in the cemetery where they are buried. Several young child ghosts have been sighted at the Beloit Homestead – one even having a mischievous personality that matches one of the families son who died early.
These ideas may spark some interesting insights on doing genealogical research on a house. Even if you you are not “sensitive” to the presence of spirits, you may want to be aware that there are people who do feel that.
I am not, but even I could feel a profound sadness and something strongly while visiting the Battleground of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. So many thousands of men killed in War there in three days of battles.
At any rate, this is just one very small angle of “How to do the Genealogy of a House”, which will be the subject of the program that I am researching for the Stateline Genealogy Club @ Beloit Public Library to present on December 13, 2019. Be looking for the complete list of 2019 Stateline Genealogy Club @ Beloit Public Library Programs soon!
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