Kentucky Hauntings(16)

The next morning when they came to work, they discovered that all of Billy Ray's signed pictures had been knocked from the wall! They got the message and immediately hung the picture signed to Joe back in its own special place on the wall.

Another story tells of Joe's ghost turning on lights for two recently hired employees who went to the basement by themselves to check on some old items of interest. They were very grateful since they did not know where the light switches were. They thought the marketing director had done it, but, when they checked, they learned he couldn't have done it because he had been talking on the phone. They gave Joe credit for his help.

In 2004, a local psychic called the marketing director and told him she had a message for him from the other side.

Surprised, he asked, “What is it?”

“I am supposed to tell you that Joe said he is still here,” she said.

The theater is now a nonprofit organization where plays, symphonies, and ballets are held. If you should decide to pay a visit to Joe's favorite hangout, chances are that Joe will be there from the other side to meet and greet you.





The Tumbling Tombstone


For many years, people who came and went in our storytelling circle of friends told about a strange, unlikely happening in Bardstown, Kentucky.

Bardstown has more than its share of intriguing ghosts and haunted places. Haunted inns and haunted jails draw tourists to investigate and enjoy ghost walks. A particularly fascinating paranormal happening in this historic town concerns the story told in our circle about a tombstone placed at the head of John Rowan's grave that refuses to stay in place.

John Rowan was one of Kentucky's most important and impressive politicians. He was a state judge, served seven terms in the legislature, and was a U.S. senator, Kentucky secretary of state, and chief justice for the Court of Appeals.

He was also a cousin of Stephen Foster, who wrote “My Old Kentucky Home” after visiting Rowan's mansion, Federal Hill. The stately mansion was deeded to Rowan and his wife by his wife's father as a wedding gift and was a perfect home for the Rowans' impressive way of life.

John Rowan had an unimpressive beginning, though. He was such a sickly child that his family never expected him to live to adulthood. His father moved the family to Kentucky, where young John thrived in the fresh air. He became a brilliant scholar, started his career as a lawyer, and married a woman named Ann Lytle. They entertained many dignitaries at their Federal Hill home.

John Rowan died July 13, 1843. Before his death, he made it clear that he did not want any stone marker or monument erected over his grave. Since his parents had never had markers, he felt it would be disrespectful to them if he had a marker for himself. He thought his home and his life were tributes enough to him and that he needed no monuments.

Rowan was buried first in the Bardstown Cemetery. Somehow, this site did not seem right for such a prominent man. The family thought about it and decided shortly after his burial to remove him from the Bardstown Cemetery and relocate him in the Rowan family cemetery, which was called Federal Hill Cemetery. They also decided to ignore his wishes about having no headstone. They erected a tall obelisk in his honor. Though it was beautiful and tasteful, it must not have pleased Rowan.

Just a few days after the installation of the obelisk, the monument tumbled over for no apparent reason. At that point, of course, stories began to spread about how strange it was that Rowan's wishes had been disregarded and now the stone had mysteriously fallen. Stonemasons were called in to fix the monument. They did not think it was a mystery. They blamed tree roots and settling ground for the monument's fall.

The mystery was not solved by their answer. In less than two months, the monument had tumbled over again. Stonemasons were called in again to repair it, but this time they expressed no opinion on the cause of the fall. Stories continued to circulate that John Rowan's spirit was not happy with that monument. More and more people accepted this story as true when the monument fell yet again shortly after the stonemasons had repaired it. This time, it landed directly on John Rowan's grave. That did it! The stonemasons refused to work on the monument again.

Cemetery caretakers took over the responsibility of repairing the stone and keeping it upright. Rumor has it that they still have to deal with this problem. No one knows the reason for the repeated falls, but everyone in that area seems to think it is a sign that Rowan meant what he said about not wanting a monument or stone marker at his grave. His spirit is apparently angry because his wishes were not carried out.





The Nannie Womack and Elmer Hill Hauntings


The facts of what has been called “Russell County's crime of the century” may never be sorted out completely. When we were growing up in Russell County, the story was only repeated to us in hushed tones. One of Elmer Hill's supposedly intended victims who got away was a teacher who never spoke to us about it. Yet several versions of the brutal slaying and raping of young Nannie Womack and the subsequent hanging of Elmer Hill keep popping up after all these years. Since the case was never brought to trial, all the facts may not be in these accounts.