Vampires in America

What is your favorite movie about Vampires? I was a '70s baby, so depending on your age, your answer may differ from my generation. Perhaps, like me, you're old enough to remember the release of 1979's Love at first bite with George Hamilton, or Jim Carrey in Once Bitten from 1985. Lauren Hutton acted as the leading blood-sucking seductress, and he was still a newbie actor. I have yet to see Bela Lugosi in the famous Nosferatu from the 1920's, I have to confess because it feels like a sin. But Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder in Dracula (above pic from 1992) is the ultimate in fantasy Vampire movies. Long before that movie was made, I had read the book written by Bram Stoker, and had loved it! For some, the first movie about these nocturnal creatures who crave the life force of blood to retain their supernatural powers and forever ceases the aging process, can't get better than the 'Twilight' Sagas. I watched the movies AFTER I read the books. I had started to write my own Vampire novella in 2005, so not only did I want to see how the author stood in comparison, but also just because I refuse to go along with trends. So, it was pretty embarrassing when I wound up in the theater, slinking down in my seat amongst screaming tweens for 'New Moon', the second movie of the Twilight saga!

If Vampires did exist, do you think they would prefer the States over Europe? Maybe they would even prefer another continent? I bet the ideal choice would be somewhere easier to keep fed and avoid detection. Perhaps every couple of centuries or so, they get bored living in isolation, and decide to party it up in civilization. America might just be the place to come, especially during the heyday of it's early years! Or maybe, just maybe, they were already here! Read on as I explore two of the spookiest stories of Vampires in America...of course, the two I focus on are from New Orleans. For whatever reason, my father's hometown has the best lore!

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Carson Brothers

John and Wayne Carson were brothers that are well known in New Orleans. During the Depression, they moved into a home located in the French Quarter, presenting themselves as normal laboring men. One night a young girl was found with cut wrists that were bleeding badly. She said that she had been held by the brothers in their home, and they had cut her wrists to feed from her blood. The police officers immediately raided the brothers' home, finding four more people that had been tied to chairs, with wrists cut open the same way as hers.

When the authorities searched further, they found more dead bodies, and they all had the same wounds inflicted on the wrists. Upon further questioning, the surviving victims stated that the brothers had kidnapped them as well, and had fed from their blood. When the brothers returned and discovered that their activities had been unearthed, it took at least 8 other men to subdue the two average-sized men and haul them off to jail. Eventually they were executed and buried.

In New Orleans, because of the water table, the dead are buried in above ground vaults. I think it's because of this that the cemeteries in New Orleans have some of the most ornate, beautiful vaults in the country! Back then, the burial vaults were emptied after a year, or in the case of family vaults, when the next family member died, in order to make room for the next family member, or another dead body. The bones of the removed were sometimes carelessly thrown on top of the next interred coffin. When a year had passed, the vault of the Carter brothers was opened to remove their bodies, but the coffins were found to be already empty!

Depending on which lore you believe, the ways you become a Vampire are numerous. You can become one after being bitten three times by a Vampire, drinking the blood of the undead and dying with it in your bloodstream, or a Vampire has to drink your blood for seven consecutive nights in a row. Rumor has it that one of the surviving victims of the two Vampiric brothers had gone on to become a serial killer...he killed more than 30 people before being caught, establishing himself as one of the first serial killers!

In the French Quarter, the presence of the two Carter brothers has been seen and is still feared today!

The Vampire Count of New Orleans

When Jacques Saint-Germain moved to New Orleans, he was rumored to also have been the Count Saint-Germain from the early 1700's in France. Both Saint-Germain men had family origins and pasts that were mysteriously unknown by anyone. He was charming just like the mysterious man who had reputedly charmed the high courts of Europe. In Europe, it was customary to prove your nobility to those of a higher social standing. King Louis XV seemed satisfied with the Comte Saint Germain being mysterious to everyone else about his status, since the King and Comte Saint-Germain were quite close. Even Voltaire, the famous philosopher, called him "the man who knows everything and who never dies."

Both Saint-Germain men were masters at playing numerous stringed instruments and spoke several different languages. Both had wealth and were known to carry bags of gold and expensive jewels on their person. They were also both educated scientists, having the knowledge of Alchemy at their disposal. Neither were seen to have eaten meals at any of the dinners or lavish parties both were have known to throw. Instead they both chose to drink only wine. Reportedly, their ages were also a mystery. Both mysterious men appeared to be no older than 40 years of age. The other Count, in Europe, appeared to look the same age for decades, at least that's what it seemed according to all the written accounts of those who knew him. But how many decades, no one is sure of!

The French Quarter in New Orleans

The Count of New Orleans, Jacques Saint Germain, had a home in the French Quarter located at the corner of Ursuline and Royal Streets. One night, a lady who had stayed later at his home than what would have been appropriate, reported to the police after he had attacked her. She had either fallen, or jumped, off his balcony after he had grabbed her, while trying to bite her neck! When the authorities went to investigate her accusations, they found the Count had vacated his premises. Inside his home, the kitchen had no food, nor did it show any signs of food ever having been there. His tablecloth was soiled with large splotches of blood, and after pouring a glass of wine from one of the many wine bottles that he DID have, it was found they had only contained blood!

Jacques Saint-Germain came and went in 1904. It could be that he wanted to go underground, or maybe he worried of how protective the people in the Crescent City are of each other? It’s also possible that after years (Decades? Centuries??) of self-control, he easily lost it in the bewitching atmosphere that New Orleans has always been famous for! To this day, reports of his likeness have been spotted. He is known to hang around his home, which has mysteriously been unoccupied all these years, at the corner of Ursuline and Royal St!

There were also a series of books written, which used the tales about Comte Saint Germain as a basis. Chelsea Quinn Yarbro is the author and I have just located this site. I will definitely have to check it out further!

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