Two Scary Cemeteries

Old Western Burial Ground

Cemeteries have gained the reputation of being haunted and with good reason since this is the place where the remains of people are buried. Let us keep in mind that the skeletons will be found in the coffins here, not the spirits and it is the spirits that for some reason have chosen to roam the cemeteries. Some may be troubled, some seeking someone or something and there are even spirits that find themselves lost between this world and the next.

At the Old Western Burial Ground, Westminster Presbyterian Churchyard in Baltimore, Maryland you’ll find the graves of people like famous author Edgar Allan Poe, the son of Francis Scott Key, the grandfather of former U.S. President James Buchanan, five former mayors of Baltimore and fifteen generals from the Revolutionary War and from the War of 1812.

Edgar Allan Poe

The catacombs of this cemetery are located underneath Haunted Westminster Hall and have always been the subject of a ghostly tale or two. Some of the stories include ghosts who have been buried alive and now are trying to tell the living of their plight. You'll find the popular author of horror tales and haunting poems Edgar Allan Poe, here in spirit. There are those who say they’ve seen him, felt him, and talked to him. Personally, I would love to have a chance to speak to Poe as it could be very inspirational for my poetry. They say he is seen dressed in black with a black fedora and a black scarf in order to hide his face. Every year around Poe's birthday January 19, his spirit can be seen walking through the cemetery aided by an unusual walking stick topped by a silver cat's head. As a believer in the paranormal, I find this quite interesting and wouldn’t at all mind encountering the gentleman. He is rather dramatic I must say dressed in all that black.

There is a legend that says the ghost of Poe has been seen near his grave and in the church catacombs. It is known that he died mysteriously in Baltimore but apparently, no one is really sure exactly how or of what he died and therefore was buried in the city. Perhaps his spirit is not at rest because of the unusual circumstances of his death. What is known is that he arrived in Baltimore taking a break on his journey to New York to visit his mother-in-law. Fate intervened and he met death unexpectedly.

In Baltimore, he was discovered on East Lombard Street barely conscious lying in a gutter. After being rushed to the hospital he died a short while later. During the brief time he was at the hospital Poe was delirious, crying, and trembling and at one time he screamed out the name “Reynolds”. Finally, he met death on November 17, 1875, at the young age of 40.

Screaming skull

Another cemetery story tells about a screaming skull known as the screaming skull of Cambridge, Maryland. Legend has it that this is the skull of a murdered minister. The skull started screaming night and day and was finally bound and gagged and buried in a block of cement. They say that hearing this skull scream will drive a person mad. I leave that for the unbelievers to discover. Wait it gets even better.

Crazy lunatic

There is also the ghost of a wild, crazed lunatic known as Leona Wellesley, who was buried in a straight jacket right from the asylum to the cemetery. Residents of the area say that they can hear her mad laugh and get a feeling of being followed through the cemetery. At least it keeps her entertained.

Ghost with a shovel

We now come to Old Valence a long-dead Western Burial Ground Cemetery Keeper and Gravedigger who if he sees that you don’t respect the well-kept graves will chase you right out of the cemetery with a shovel in his hand. Well, I’ll tell you that if I saw a ghost coming at me with a shovel I’d certainly get the heck out of the way. Valence’s ghost is said to be a drunken ghost and will cuss at you or even attempt to bury you alive. Friendly isn’t he? Therefore it is said that visitors to this cemetery should go there at their own risk. I personally think it would be a grand adventure, but then that is only my opinion.

Haunted Stull Cemetery

The Devil’s Child

This is a haunted cemetery that has earned itself some nicknames such as The Seven Lost Gates of Hell, The Cemetery of the Damned, Satan’s Burial Ground, and The Seventh Gate to Hell. It has been said that Stull Cemetery is where Satan likes to hold court with his lost worshippers. It has been reported that the Devil’s only half -human child is supposedly buried here. The question is - Do such things really exist? At the cemetery, this child appears as a 9 or 11-year-old boy and is able to turn himself into a dog, a cat, or even a wolf. There are those who say that this child was born with long red hair and a double row of teeth. He was raised like an animal, chained under the house, and tossed scraps of food.

When he was about ten years old he supposedly chewed off his left hand and escaped. While running wild through the town he killed whoever he met and finally a farmer killed him after an eleven-‌ month killing spree. His grave remains unmarked but during the spring and autumn equinox evil forces, orbs, and lights materialize near or over his grave. I know anything like this is hard to comprehend but with all the evil that is in this world I could even believe this.

The Witch

Then we come to the witch who is an awful lady ghost that curses at anybody who steps upon her grave. She appears as a tall lady with white hair. EVPs on her have heard her saying, “Keep away from my bones” and “Watch your step”. It is said that she despised her husband and since he is buried next to her the soil upon his grave is often seen pushed up. Supposedly she’s trying to get him to move elsewhere.

About Stull

Stull Cemetery had an abandoned church next to it located in Stull, a tiny town in Kansas. Not much is left of this village except for a few houses, a church, and around twenty residents. It is supposed that some residents are not from this world but from the one beyond. The crumbling and overgrown cemetery sits atop Emmanuel Hill. I would like to know what kind of things happened there that left a church abandoned. Some of the stories going around have been linked to Stull for over 100 years. There was an article published in November of 1974 in the University of Kansas student paper that described some of the odd occurrences that were happening in the Stull cemetery. It was stated that Stull was haunted by diabolical supernatural happenings and that this cemetery was one of the two places on this earth where the devil appears in person two times a year.

Waiting for the Devil

Whether or not these things are really true I cannot imagine how over 150 people gathered at Stull Cemetery at the spring equinox on March 28, 1978, just to wait and see if the Devil appeared. It was also said that people who died violent deaths also rose from their graves. There are stories going around that the Devil has been appearing here since 1850.

Other Legends about Stull

Among other strange legends are that the Devil shows up at Stull on the last night of winter or the first night of spring. He goes there to visit a witch buried there. Odd as it may seem there is a grave marker upon which is the name “Wittich” quite close to the old church. It could be that disturbances have risen up these evil spirits because at one time there was an old tree in the graveyard that was cut down. This tree was once used as a gallows for condemned witches. In reference to the Devil Child some years ago a photo taken at the cemetery showed a “werewolf-like boy” peeking out from behind a tree.

Trying to uncover the truth

Residents have been upset by vandals who have desecrated the cemetery from time to time. There is now a chainlink security fence around the property. It is most unusual that no one has tried to end the macabre stories about Stull. It is also unknown why the old church was not just torn down. It stood empty since 1922. It is most odd that in 1996 the remnants of the roof blew off and exposed the interior to the elements. A crack opened in one of its stone walls when lightning struck the church. I don’t know about anyone else but just understanding what has been happening to this church I’d say the Devil has been trying to destroy it for a long time.

Then finally on Friday, March 29, 2002, the old stone church was mysteriously torn down. The owner of the property said he gave no authorization for the church to be destroyed. I wonder if the horned one was responsible for this. If you’re interested the town of Stull can be found around ten miles west of Lawrence, Kansas. It sits on the northwestern edge of Clinton Lake, close to Clinton State Park. Those who wish to explore the cemetery are advised to go there at their own risk perhaps to dance in the moonlight with the Devil himself.