Tag: spiritualism

The Fascinating History of the Ouija Board

Alex Matsuo

Since the dawn of time, mankind has been trying to make contact with the supernatural. Whether through natural gifts or making tools, the search for the unknown is never-ending. Ouija boards are probably one of the most objects in the world. It’s just a harmless game, right? For over a century, the Ouija board has been a victim of fear-mongering, skepticism, and misunderstanding.

In order to fully understand the Ouija board, one must understand its history and where it came from. In case you’re wondering, no, it didn’t manifest itself from hell, nor did it drop in from the spirit world.

The Spiritualism Movement

It seems to always come back to Spiritualism, doesn’t it?

The Spiritualist movement was at its peak in the United States in the 1840s. To put it simply, Spiritualism is the belief that we can communicate with our dearly departed loved ones through mediums. One could argue that many ghost hunters today are actually Spiritualists.

The movement especially grew in popularity during the Civil War. This was because people were desperate for closure with their loved ones’ unresolved deaths. They wanted to talk to mediums to find out what happened to their soldiers. This was peak time when seances and public demonstrations became popular. But people wanted more tools to communicate with the other side. Tools like planchettes, spirit writing, trances, seances, and table tipping became the norm in the typical family home.

The earliest recording of a talking board was in 1886 in the New York Daily News, citing Ohio as being the state of origin. This “craze” was replacing card games at parties. It was18 by 20 inches in size, and users had to keep the board on their lap. A little table was used to move around the alphabet, numbers, and the words “yes”, “no”, “good morning”, and “good evening” were written on the board.

Official Invention of the Board

Via American Printing History Association

After seeing the article in the New York Daily News, three men named Elijah Bond, Charles Kennard, and William H.A. Maupin were inspired to create their own board and sell it to the masses. The official patent for “Ouija, the Wonderful Talking Board,” was granted in 1891. If you’re a lover of languages, you may notice something weird with the board’s title.

While some people think “Ouija” is some mystical word, it’s actually the French and German word for “yes” put together as one word. But Ouija expert Robert Murch thinks it’s more spiritual than that. According to legend, Kennard and his friends asked the board what it wanted to be called, and it spelled out O-U-I-J-A. When asked what it meant, it said, “Good luck.” Kennard also claimed that “Ouija” was the Egyptian word for “Good luck.”

From Kennard to Hasbro

The Kennard Novelty Company began producing Ouija boards and selling them for just $1.50. When Kennard left the company, it was renamed the Ouija Novelty Company. William A. Fuld took over production in 1901. The invention of the Ouija board has sparked ideas for other boards. When William Fuld took over the copyright ownership, he made sure that there were no duplicates. Fuld’s estate holds more Ouija patents and copyrights than anyone else in history—a grand total of 21 registrations in three countries—including the design for the modern planchette.

Fuld sued any and all copycats until his death in 1927. In 1966, Fuld’s family sold the Ouija estate to Parker Brothers. In 1991, Parker Brothers was bought out by Hasbro, and they now own all the patents and trademarks.

Ruined Reputation

The Ouija board has been the inspiration for quite a bit of fiction. The book and movie, “The Exorcist,” written by William Peter Blatty, is one of those fictional inspirations. The book is based on a true story of a 13-year old boy who was possessed by a demon and went through an exorcism in 1949.

Blatty was inspired to write the book after he saw the story in a newspaper clipping. Some may remember that the Ouija board was the catalyst for the possession of fictional 12-year old Regan. In the book and movie, Regan had been communicating with a spirit named Captain Howdy, but it was actually the demon Pazuzu. Blatty himself experimented with the Ouija board and thought he was talking to the spirit of his father. After he was done using the board, strange things happened in his home.

Even though the Ouija board wasn’t connected with demons before the movie, it was enough to associate it with demons and spread widespread panic. Everyone seemed to be afraid of it. It went from a fun party game to a demon-possessed board nearly overnight.

The Zozo Confusion

While Captain Howdy and Pazuzu were fictional in “The Exorcist,” people using the board today claim to communicate with a demon known as Zozo. This entity seems to haunt just the Ouija board and board users. Stories of Zozo first emerged in 2009 on message boards. It didn’t take long for people to realize that they were all talking to the same demon. Reported encounters with Zozo are nothing short of terrifying.

According to legend, Zozo causes chaos in people’s lives. They claim they can actually hear him cursing in different languages, like Latin and Hebrew. Darren Evans was one of the first people to report his experiences to the world and give Zozo a name. Zozo can apparently possess people and even take the lives of children.

Possession & Crimes

If we go with the idea that people can potentially be possessed by demons like Zozo or some other supernatural beings, what are the consequences of that? There are a lot of crimes associated with Ouija board use. One story goes back to 2008 when Blaine Milam and his girlfriend Jessica Carson started using the Ouija board. Carson, then pregnant at the time, started showing signs of psychosis and it was believed that she was possessed. However, the psychosis ended after she had her baby. Then it was thought that the baby, Amora, was possessed instead. The couple tried to perform a rather graphic exorcism that took the baby’s life. Milam was sentenced to death while Carson was sentenced to life in prison.

The Carroll family also faced consequences after using the board. The parents, Paul and Margaret, became paranoid after using the board. This next part is upsetting; Paul drowned the family dog, Molly, because he thought she was possessed. Then, Margaret and their daughter Katrina used the board again and it said their lives would end. The house then burst into flames after the women conducted a black magic session. They almost lost their lives.

How the Ouija Board Was Used in Court

Those who decide to take the risk and use the board themselves have discovered different ways to experiment with the board. A lot of people will discard the planchette and use something else. Some people will use a person’s personal possession as a pendulum and use that to point to the different letters. There are numerous types of divination or seeking advice and information from supernatural means. You would think that this would only stay with people who specialize in this area. When you’re desperate for some sort of information, perhaps the Ouija board isn’t the safest method if you don’t know what you’re doing.

In 1994, Stephen Young was charged with the murder of Harry and Nicola Fuller. But the jury couldn’t come to a decision. They were so stumped that they all deliberated together over drinks at their hotel. When they still couldn’t come to a conclusion, they decided to consult the Ouija board to try to talk to the Fullers themselves.

A small group of jurors made a board with a piece of paper and a wine glass. The spirit claimed to be Henry Fuller and the board spelled out things like “Stephen Young done it”, “Shot”, and “Vote guilty tomorrow.” When this information came to light, Young got a retrial, but he was still found guilty.

The Board Writes a Book

For over a century, people have claimed to have made contact with long lost celebrities using the Ouija board. Did you know that a Ouija board was used to write a book? It was the most fascinating lawsuit case of the century. In 1917, writer Emily Grant Hutchings and medium Lola Hayes claimed they wrote a book, dictated by Mark Twain. Keep in mind that Twain died in 1910. According to Hutchings, the ghost of Mark Twain dictated the book to her using the Ouija board. The book was titled, Jap Herron, and it got quite a lot of attention in its time.

When Twain’s family and publishers caught wind of this, they tried to take Hutchings to court. But the case never ended up going to trial. Copies of Jap Herron are rare since the manuscript has been destroyed. If you’re really curious, you can read it online for free.

Debunking the Board

It’s important to know that there are many instances where the Ouija board has been debunked. One of the most popular theories that explain the Ouija board is the ideomotor effect. This basically means that we unintentionally move our hands to the desired answer. This theory has also been used to explain divining rods and pendulums. If you really want to avoid having your experience debunked with this theory, I advise that you ask the questions, but don’t touch the board.

Have you ever tried using the Ouija board? How was your experience?

Sources:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-strange-and-mysterious-history-of-the-ouija-board-5860627/

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-08/ouija-board-juror-misbehaviour-murder-trials/9734868

https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/jap-herron-a-novel-written-from-the-ouija-board-1917

Leo Frank’s Message to Lucille From Beyond the Grave

Alex Matsuo

I’m trying to find an unmarked grave in a massive cemetery. How am I going to do this? But, this is a very special grave. I have an idea of where it is. And yet, here I am…wandering aimlessly through Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia. But…this grave means the world to me. It means so much to me. My previous attempt during a visit to Atlanta over 10 years ago left me unsuccessful.

But on this day, this day was the day I was going to find the grave of Lucille Frank, the wife of Leo Frank. I couldn’t fail again. I pulled out my phone and brought up Google. In my search, I read that Lucille used mediums to try to contact Leo on the other side. Wait, what?

In my attempts of finding Lucille’s unmarked grave, I fell down a rabbit hole.

A Decades-Long Obsession

I remember it like it was yesterday. It was a Saturday and I was channel surfing, looking for something to watch. Something made me stop the rapid channel surfing; it was Peter Gallagher in a courtroom. I stopped and watched for the rest of the day. I was riveted, intrigued, and horrified. But I couldn’t get enough. I wanted to know more.

The movie was the miniseries, “The Murder of Mary Phagan”, which originally aired in 1988. One of the networks was clearly doing a rerun since I was in middle school in the mid-to-late 90s. Since it was the 90s, I had to find the miniseries at my local library to watch it again.

Since then, I’ve had this fascination with the Mary Phagan murder and the lynching of Leo Frank. I read as many books as I could about the subject. Being from California, I was fairly sheltered from the idea of Southern Heritage, the Invasion of the North post-Civil War, and finally, the rampant anti-Semitism that was very prominent in the South that sparked around Leo Frank’s trial.

Horrified

My focus is on Lucille Frank. I don’t want to go into a long history lesson, as there is lots of information on the case. While there are tons of websites about the case (many alarmingly anti-Semitic), here is a good place to start. While you’re at it, check out this link too.

I was horrified when I learned of Leo Frank’s lynching on August 17, 1915. I was also horrified that not only was there a large group, but there were photographers. Postcards with photos of Frank’s dead body on the noose sold like hotcakes for 25 cents. I know it was a different time and a different culture…but…geez.

By His Side

Leo and Lucille Frank

As you can imagine, between the politcal and racial tensions overlaying the case, plus the horrifying nature of the crime; the people wanted justice. But did they really get it? As you can imagine, it was a circus. It was chaos.

The person who never left his side was Frank’s wife, Lucille. She never remarried. Even though the KKK had resurfaced, and anti-Semitism was stronger than ever, she resolved to not leave Atlanta or the South. Let’s read it in her own words.

I am a Georgia girl, born and reared in this state, and educated in her schools. I am a Jewess; some will throw that in my face, I know, but I have no apologies to make for my religion. I am also a Georgian, and American, and I do not apologize for that, either…I only pray that those who destroyed Leo’s life will realize the truth before they meet their God–they perhaps are not entirely to blame, fed as they were on lies unspeakable, their passion aroused by designing persons. Some of them, I am sure, did not realize the horror of their act. But those who inspired these men to do this unlawful act, what of them? Will not their consciences make for them a hell on Earth, and will not their associates, in their hearts, despise them?

Lucille Frank
“The Historic Oakland Cemetery of Atlanta” by Cathy Kaemmerlen, The History Press, 2007. p. 83

Lucille made this statement six weeks after Frank’s lynching. She was only 27 years old at the time of his death. That’s young. Especially in the early 1900s. The fact she never remarried is also remarkable. Lucille had to see a doctor regularly for chest pains and headaches. Her doctor believed she suffered from depression. Lucille stayed in Atlanta for the rest of her life. Her friends believe that she never stopped mourning her husband. “Leo might have been killed, but she served a life sentence…

Mourning for Her Husband

I have always felt a very strong connection to Lucille. During Frank’s trial, sentencing, and all the work she did to prove his innocence, Lucille comforted herself by eating. So often, she wrote letters to Leo about being worried about the cameras getting photos of her because of her weight. This resonates with me so deeply as a woman. I also lost someone I was planning to marry, also due to unexpected and premature death by someone else’s hand. While I wasn’t a wife, I grieved as a wife. I don’t know the depths of Lucille’s pain, but I feel like I can relate to her in those ways.

To lose someone you love so deeply, and to not have a chance to say goodbye and receive closure, it’s no surprise that Lucille turned to spiritual means to contact her husband.

I sent Mr. Murray a message, and he directed me to two books, “And the Dead Shall Rise: The Murder of Mary Phagan and the Lynching of Leo Frank” by Steven Oney, and “An Unspeakable Crime: The Prosecution and Persecution of Leo Frank” by Elaine Marie Alphin. Luckily, I had the former already on my bookshelf. How did I miss this when I was younger?!

In Steven Oney’s book, “And the Dead Shall Rise”, he writes extensively about Lucille’s life before, during, and after her husband’s trial. After her husband’s death, Lucille was in constant pain, plus nausea and headaches. Her friends did their best to counsel her, but Lucille needed something more.

Seeking Closure

Leo Frank, Leo Frank Memorial Plaque, Marietta Georgia
Credit: Alex Matsuo

It didn’t take long going through Oney’s book to find out what I needed. Lucille did indeed use psychic mediums to try to make contact with Leo. One medium from Oklahoma City, who spoke through a “spirit father”, gave Lucille a message from her husband saying, “Get all out of life that you can. I am sorry I had to leave you.”

It’s hard to say whether these messages gave her comfort. I hope they did. The case of Leo Frank spread around the country like wildfire. Keep in mind that when Leo died, this was around the decline of the popularity of Spiritualism. But the mediums were still there, which is how Lucille knew to contact them.

Leo and Lucille Frank…and the Future

It took a few decades, but in 1986, Frank was posthumously pardoned.

When Lucille Frank died on April 23rd, 1957 at the age of 69…42 years after Leo’s death. She was cremated, per her request. Her funeral occurred at Patterson’s Funeral Home in Atlanta. She had wanted her ashes scattered in a public park, but this was forbidden by the city. So, her ashes were stored in the funeral home. Her friends and family were concerned that any public ceremony or mention of her death would reignite the whole situation all over again.

Starting in 1958, anti-Semitic tensions were rampant. The local temple was badly damaged by a bombing. Pattersons contacted Lucille’s family and told them to deal with the matter. Alan Marcus, Lucille’s nephew, picked up the ashes, and placed them in the front trunk of his red Corvette and drove around with them for six months.

Lucille’s family, once again, was concerned that a public funeral and ceremony would reignite not only the case but this time, racial and anti-Semitic tensions. Her funeral and laying to rest were once again, delayed.

It was revealed in 2002 that Alan and his brother drove to Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta and buried Lucille’s ashes between her parents’ headstones in 1964. Her grave is unmarked, but she is no longer alone.

Meeting Lucille Face-to-Face

Lucille Frank's grave 2020, lucille frank, buried, unmarked grave
Credit: Alex Matsuo

Let’s return to Atlanta, and my frustrating search for Lucille’s unmarked grave.

As I wandered around Oakland Cemetery, I had to find Jewish Hill. From the front entrance, I went down the first hill, and up the second hill. I did this a few times, going back and forth. Eventually, I pulled out my phone to look at her parents’ grave to see what was around it.

I managed to look at the surroundings, and I walked. And then, there it was. I saw the headstones and started running. I ran in flip-flops and over uneven brick, and finally reached the headstones.

There it was. There she was. I saw the little stone angel marker between her parents’ grave. Before I knew it, I was standing before the remains of Lucille Frank, and start crying from happiness. This decades-long obsession I’ve had since middle school all brought me to this place.

After I did a quick video and took photos. I turned on the voice recorder on my phone and set it down. As I stood there, I talked to Lucille. I told her about how much she inspired me, and tearfully expressed condolences for her pain and suffering during Leo’s trial and his lynching. I acknowledged her strength and resilience during her life and said I’m sure Leo was proud of her and hoped they were reunited on the other side.

Then, I walked back to my car and cried. Even as I write this, I have tears in my eyes. I never realize how much this woman meant to me until that moment. This isn’t my only visit to her grave. I’m going to visit her again and will continue to do so until my time has come.

Paying Respects to Leo and Mary

Mary Phagan grave, Marietta City Cemetery
This was the closest I could get to Mary Phagan’s grave since Marietta City Cemetery was closed. Credit: Alex Matsuo

After finding Lucille’s grave, I drove to Marietta and visited the memorial plaque for Leo Frank. It sits nearby the spot of his lynching. If you want to find it, it’s next to the parking lot for El Huarache Veloz at 1157 Roswell Rd, Marietta, GA 30062. I parked in the restaurant’s parking lot and just walked a few feet over.

The next day, it was time to head home. But I wanted to check out Mary Phagan’s grave and pay my respects before leaving. As I arrived, I was disappointed to see that Marietta City Cemetery padlocked their gates. And I was there around 11am on a Tuesday. Sadly, I could only look through the gate off of Cemetery Street. Look for the black pole with the memorial plaque. From a distance, I paid my respects through the gates. When I finished, I got in my car and headed back to Raleigh.

Sources

https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/out-and-about/2012/apr/26/lucilles-ashes/

https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/leo-frank-case

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6896060/lucille-frank

http://www.the-temple-exhibit.com/exhibits/show/history-makers/temple-members/leo-frank-and-lucille-frank

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/10/silencing-the-dead-the-decline-of-spiritualism/264005/

“Leo may have been killed, but she served a life sentence…”

https://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/did-leo-frank-kill-mary-phagan-106-years-later-we-might-finally-find-out-for-sure/

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2020/02/20/alonzo-mann-says-jim-conley-murdered-mary-phagan/4819312002/

https://atlantajewishtimes.timesofisrael.com/struggling-with-leo-franks-lynching-a-century-later/

America’s First Documented Case of Spirit Possession: The Watseka Wonder

Alex Matsuo

I’ve found myself with a lot more time to research paranormal cases. Taking a page from Robert Frost, I decided to dive into cases that would be the roads less traveled. I started by looking into possession cases for inspiration. 

The topic of possession has always been of keen interest to me, especially since I’ve studied demonology extensively and may (or may not) have witnessed a few demonic possession cases in my lifetime. But demons are not the only entities to possess a human. According to several cases over the years, ghosts can also possess a person as well. How? No matter how you look at it, possession can be one of the most complicated types of cases you’ll encounter in the paranormal field and should never be taken lightly. In possession cases, we must consider many complex variables to consider, making these situations difficult and complicated.

One case in particular has piqued my interest for over a decade, but I have never had time to explore it fully until recently. Thanks, quarantine. I’m surprised that this case isn’t talked about more..The case, known as the Watseka Wonder, took place in the late 19th century. What is truly fascinating about this case is that it was well-documented by the press. Some even call this the first case of spirit possession in America.

Mary Roff

I can’t properly tell this story without first talking about Mary Roff. She was born October 8th,  1846, in Warren County, Indiana. Her family moved around between Indiana, Illinois, and even Texas. At just six months old, she had what was described as a “fit” that lasted for several hours. It seems this consisted of nausea, dilated pupils, rigid limbs, falling into a deep and catatonic sleep, and even seizures.  Then she lay still for several days and her family lost hope for her recovery. The reports I’ve read have some differences in opinion. It appears Mary seemed to recover in about two or three weeks. But then she would fall into these fits all over again. These fits happened often while Mary was growing up and greatly affected her quality of life.

In 1859, the Roff Family eventually settled into South Middleport, Illinois, which would eventually become a part of the town of Watseka, where they settled down and built the first house in the area.

Sadly, as Mary got older, her fits got worse. They actually escalated. By the time she was ten years old, she was having fits sometimes even four or five times in just a few days. In between the fits, things were pretty much normal, and Mary would sometimes sing her favorite song, “We are Coming Sister Mary.”  

According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, the Roffs built the house that is currently standing today in 1860.

When Mary was 15 years old, her depression grew worse as her fits increased. 

In 1864, Mary started bleeding herself for relief from what she described as a “lump of pain” in her head. Her doctors prescribed leeches to help relieve the pain. Mary even kept these leeches as pets.

More Turmoil Affects Mary

The Roff Home

Then, on July 16th, 1864, around 9am, Mary took a knife and went to the backyard and cut her arm so deeply that she lost a bunch of blooded and fainted. She was unconscious until about 2pm. When she woke up, she was described as  a raving maniac, and it took five men to hold her down to keep her from hurting herself. Keep in mind she had lost a ton of blood and barely weighed 100 pounds. Then, she became calm and slept for about 15 hours. She had blindfolds over her eyes to protect them from any unconscious scratching. But remarkably, Mary was still able to see, maybe even better than before….but not in a natural way.

After this, apparently she was back to normal, as if nothing happened. But she couldn’t recognize anyone around her. Also, she was described as losing all sense of sight, feeling, or hearing “in the natural way.” What was even more incredible is that she could read blindfolded. She was able to read the “blood” entry in the encyclopedia while blindfolded. Also, she was able to read letters blindfolded.

At this point, Mary’s reputation was becoming well-known. Even a local newspaper editor from the Danville Times brought a sealed letter over to the Roff home. Mary flipped the letter around, while blindfolded, and was able to tell who sent the letter. When the editor opened the envelope, Mary was correct. Her father and the local pastor even tried to trick Mary while she was reading her letters blindfolded and slipped in a few of his own letters. Mary was able to tell which ones weren’t hers.

A Public Spectacle

The Roff Home today.

The entire town of Watseka had known about Mary’s condition, and it seemed like the most prominent citizens thoroughly investigated her. The fits continued, even though Mary seemed to improve at times.

She started hearing voices telling her to do things; she would go into trances where she would speak with different voices. Apparently, spirits were taking over her body. Mary would be stiff as a board except for her face, leaving her free to talk. She was able to read encyclopedias while blindfolded. She was under the care of a team of doctors, who recommended a water cure for eighteen months at the state asylum in Peoria, Illinois. Unsurprisingly, the water cure didn’t help. 

Sadly, Mary’s life would be cut off prematurely. She died in 1865 at the age of nineteen. The Chicago Tribune article says she died in the house her family built in 1860…the account of Dr. Stevens seems to have her dying in the asylum so that one is interesting to decipher. Troy Taylor, the author of “The Possessed: The True Story of the Watseka Wonder”, she died in the asylum. His book is worth checking out!

Lurrancy Vennum

Eleven years later, in 1876, twelve-year old Mary Lurrancy Vennum, better known as Rancy, told her parents that there were spirits in her room calling out to her. “Rancy, Rancy” they would say, and these spirits would also touch her face. 

In 1877, thirteen-year-old Rancy also started suffering from cataleptic fits, and then she too would go into trances where she would start describing spirits and angels. She even described her deceased siblings, who passed when Rancy was just a toddler. In 1878, Rancy started having these fits up to 12 times per day. Her body would twist and convulse so badly that her feet would touch her head.

It wasn’t long until Rancy apparently was starting to get possessed by spirits as well. Her family was considering committing her to an asylum when they got a visit from one of the local townsfolk.

It was Asa Roff, Mary’s father.

Since Mary’s death, Asa and Ann became spiritualists, and if you haven’t caught on yet, they saw something very familiar with Rancy’s situation. The Roffs pleaded with the Vennums and insisted that they not send Rancy to an asylum. Instead, Asa brought in Dr. E. Winchester Stevens. The Vennums were devout Methodists, so you could imagine how difficult this decision was for them.

When Dr. Stevens arrived, Rancy was described as sitting like an old hag, and she had her elbows on her knees with her hands under her chin, hunched back and asking weird questions to the doctor. She was also calling her father, “Old Black Dick” and her mother, “Old Granny.”

When Dr. Stevens asked for her name, she described herself as 63-year old Katrina Hogue from Germany. There was also another spirit of a young man named Willie that also took possession of her body.

A Different Kind of Spirit

Rancy apparently came back and expressed regrets that these evil spirits were taking control of her body. It seemed like a helpless situation. It was at this time that Dr. Stevens advised Rancy to perhaps let a more positive spirit take control of her body. He told her to look around and see if there was a happier and purer spirit around. Then, Rancy said that a young woman named Mary Roff stepped forward and that the angels wanted her to come.

It was then that Mr. Roff said, “That’s my daughter. Mary Roff is my girl and she has been in heaven for twelve years. Let her come, we will be glad to have her come.”

So, Mary took possession of Rancy’s body for 100 days.

It wasn’t long before Rancy, possessed by Mary, went to live with the Roffs in their home during this time. Rancy seemed to know a lot of details about Mary’s life that she wouldn’t have been privy to. For example, she knew the nickname of Mary’s sister Minerva, which was Nervie. She also knew the married name of one of her friends…for her first husband, meaning the one she was married to when Mary was alive. 

The Little Details

The Vennum home.

Mary/Rancy even asked for her famous box of letters. She would often ask her father who used to say, “Confound it” and laugh to her heart’s content, knowing it was Asa who would say it. Mary immediately recognized neighbors and close family friends of the Roffs and knew their nicknames. Asa had Ann put a velvet headdress in plain view in the house to see if Mary recognized it. She did. She even said, “Oh this is my head-dress I wore when my hair was short!” Mary even remembered when the Roffs lived in Texas and remembered specific details of that trip.

Mary also told her parents that her brother would get extremely sick, and that if he didn’t receive medical attention, he was to surely die. At the time, her brother was pretty healthy and showed no signs of getting sick. But sure enough, her brother did fall ill, but he was able to get medical attention in adequate time.

During this time, apparently Rancy was in heaven, healing from her health ailments. From the records I read, it seemed that Rancy started to pop in and out closer to the end of her possession.

Mary wouldn’t eat with the Roffs, but instead would go into a type of trance state and other spirits would take control of Rancy’s body. One of them was even the grandmother of one of the Roff’s home servants. There was even talk of another spirit taking control of Rancy’s body for a few weeks on a trip out of state. That was out of the question.

Mary was also really affectionate with Asa and Ann. When they asked her why, she said that she wanted to hug them while she still had arms to hold them with and lips to kiss them with.

Back to Normal

Lurrancy Vennum Binning in her later years.

Finally, on May 21st, 1878, after tearful and emotional goodbyes, Mary returned to heaven and Rancy went back to her body and went home. Rancy eventually got married, moved to Kansas and had 11 children. According to Dr. Stevens, Mary would take control of Rancy’s body during childbirth as well. She would often visit with the Roffs when she was visiting her family in Illinois. Rancy passed away in Los Angeles in 1952.

Dr. E. Winchester Stevens published his account in a book published in 1887 called, “The Watseka Wonder.”

Rarely do we get happy endings in cases like these. The tragedy of Mary Roff was truly a sad ending to a horrific life of health issues. It seemed that not only did Mary get a second chance at living through Rancy’s body, but her family got redemption and a second chance to be with their daughter once more. Of course, this could have been an elaborate hoax that involved a LOT of people. 

Even famous psychologist and SPR member, William James, extensively investigated the Watseka Wonder after Lurrancy moved to Kansas and wasn’t able to debunk it. Richard Hodgson also investigated the case and said, “I have no doubt that the incidents occurred substantially as described in the narrative by Dr. Stevens…”

But if there was any shred of truth to it, then we might have one of the strongest cases for the existence of life after death.

Resources

William James’ copy of “The Watseka Wonder”: https://ia800206.us.archive.org/33/items/watsekawonderan00stevgoog/watsekawonderan00stevgoog.pdf

1928 copy of “The Watseka Wonder”: https://libsysdigi.library.uiuc.edu/OCA/Books2009-06/watsekawonder00stev/watsekawonder00stev.pdf

Chicago Tribune article about the Roff House: https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-10-31-9910310328-story.html

Dark Histories Podcast: https://www.darkhistories.com/lurancy-vennum-and-the-watseka-wonder/

The Possessed: The True Story of the Watseka Wonder: https://www.americanhauntingsink.com/watseka

Do Spirits “Notice” You?

Alex Matsuo

I received a great question on the Facebook page from Sara D., who asked,

From my own personal research, I have found many share the view that by actively participating in the paranormal (ie: investigating, ganzfeld experiment) or the occult (ie seances, ouija boards) you open yourself up more spiritually and make it easier for spirits to “notice” you. Others say that it doesn’t happen and you shouldn’t worry about it. So, what is it? Be concerned or not?

What is my answer to this?  Yes.  there should be a concern and a respect for these methods and devices because they have the potential to be powerful tools.  First I will address investigating.  Investigating the paranormal is entering into a new lifestyle in general.  Your awareness of the unknown is heightened.  Now are spirits really following you, or are you senses heightened to the point where anything that moves is a shadow/ghost/spirit?  You know it’s there, and I know for me, I seem to keep an extra eye open and I notice my surroundings in greater detail than I did before I began investigating.  I believe that when you start investigating, especially going against more malevolent beings, it is possible that they will notice you and know who you are.  When you approach an investigation and you ask for communication with spirits, they know who you are.  I know investigators (including myself) who do protection rituals and make it very clear that they cannot harm me or follow me.

Now the Ganzfeld Experiment…such a fascinating element of parapsychology.  Does the Ganzfeld Experiment open yourself up to experience things you couldn’t in your everyday life?  I believe so and no.  Does it permanently leave you vulnerable to psychic and spiritual phenomenon?  It has the potential.  Does participating in this leave a permanent bullseye for any spirit to notice you and possibly go after you?  I doubt it, but I would certainly love to talk to someone about it who knows more than I do

Now when it comes to things like seances and ouija boards, that is another ballgame.  Or is it?  When investigating, you are asking for communication.  And with seances and ouija boards you are requesting communication.  It’s a fine line, but I believe there is a difference.  Seances come in many forms.  Seance comes from the French term, “sitting” or “seat” and rose in popularity when Spiritualism broke out.  There is something to be said sitting in a circle with other people trying to communicate with spirits, especially through a medium.  And with ouija boards, I have a great respect for them but I would probably never use one.  I’ve heard and experienced too many negative things tied with a ouija board, especially when it comes to the disposal of one (always bury, never burn).  Ouija boards are typically associated with bringing in an inhuman spirit.  What else is funny is that ouija boards are sold in toy stores and made by Milton Bradley.  There are also ouija board necklaces being sold.  I was actually offended when I saw this.  Paranormal investigating or “ghost hunting” is already seen as a novelty as it is.  Technically you don’t even need to buy a ouija board, you can draw a board on a piece of paper or napkin and go from there.  It’s that simple.  Ouija boards are made by toy companies, what happened to the respect of the possibility that these things can do potential harm? Wearing a necklace with a ouija board shouldn’t be a fashion accessory or seen as cute.  That could open you up for potentially negative activity as well.

Is there a safe way to use a ouija board?  I’m sure.  But you need protection which leads me into my next point.  Protecting yourself is very important.  There is a fine line between not protecting yourself and building a wall so thick that you cut yourself off from any activity.  Where do we draw the line?  It’s hard to distinguish.

In closing, when you decide to investigate the paranormal, you need to make sure you do what you can to stay safe while still allowing yourself to experience activity (at least for me, for purposes of collecting evidence and documentation).  And protecting yourself not only during an investigation but during your normal everyday life.  I started investigating when I was 14.  Looking back, it was probably not the safest thing to do, especially investigating solo as a teen with only the internet as my guide.  But it taught me so much about myself, the paranormal and how to protect myself and conduct myself on an investigation.  I’m still not an expert.  I read as much as I can and watch other teams as they do investigations.  What I want to close this post with, is that you should always be in the pursuit of knowledge.  Keep reading, keep watching, and never stop learning.