Blog Archives

Info About Team Member Mark Couvillon

8/20/2014

Mark has experienced a number of paranormal things during his time at Colonlia Williamsburg, Red Hill and growing up in New Orleans. He has had two experiences with seeing apparitions at the Gaol and in the Capitol building, and seeing the figure at Red Hill (which his friend who was with him saw it too.) And, his involvement in Vodou, he has seen many odd things, including possession, or being "ridden by the Lwa," which is not an "evil" thing-as possession is in the Catholic religion (of which he was raised), but an honor to be chosen by a spirit to receive a message.
Having said all that, he is very skeptical of things. He needs proof, be it video, audio, or multiple experiences by more than one person. He believes most "unexplained" things people experience have natural answers, like wind, pipes, shadow play, house settling or the person themselves might be doing things to bring attention or may be unstable.
He thinks the vast majority of spirits are people who have died and either have unfinished business, or died a tragic death, or don't know they are dead.
He believes the reason why some people see spirits and others don't is that many people refuse to even open themselves up to the possibility that there is a spirit world, or they are just not in-tuned to the world around them.

Info About Team Member Jimmy Everett

8/20/2014

I first got a glimpse at the paranormal when my grandparents passed, and things started to happen when we were talking or thinking of things they did not like, water glasses would explode and things would come of the wall or you would have your things moved.
Then when my sister passed, i had 2 experiences at my mom’s house, and in the hallway where there is no breeze, I felt a very cold breeze come down the hall and go right through me and stay there for a few seconds, there were no fans or windows open. I screamed for my wife (Dana) to tell her about it and neither one of us could find anything.
Then when my mom passed in her house the same things happened again, and i still feel her today, she moves the shower curtain and silly things to make me laugh, she always did that. I have even used the K2 meter I got from the best Brother and Sister in-law and I have had it top out when I asked some questions. I believe I have my mom, sister, grandfather, and Dana's dad here with us.

Info About Team Member Dana Everett

8/20/2014

Historic Haunts Investigations team member Dana first encountered the paranormal when the spirits of her mother in law and sister in law made their presence known to her and her husband Jim. They still visit from time to time and she still seeks to have a more profound encounter. Possibly a phantom wind or a full body apparition would do the trick.

Info About Team Member Jim Roush

8/20/2014

Jim is a skeptic but doesn’t NOT believe spirits do not exist. He actually wishes he would see something to answer some of his questions and turn him into a believer. That is why he is part of the Historic Haunts Investigations team.

Info About Team Member Gayel Roush

8/20/2014

Gayel’s first experience with the paranormal was during her teen years when she had her first premonition. Premonitions are when people see things before they happen.

As Gayel got older, she had more and always listened to what she saw or felt and believed it kept many bad things from happening.

Her first encounter with a spirit wasn’t until 1993 when she purchased a house which she later found out was haunted. Ever since then she was more and more intrigued and starting seeking more answers about the unknown.

Info About Team Member Deric PEarce

8/20/2014

Deric’s first experience with the paranormal was when he and his wife, Jamie Pearce, first moved in together. Jamie informed him that the spirit of her dead cat Cosmo has been with her for many years and just wanted to give him a heads up.
One night, Deric had fallen asleep on the couch watching football when he was woken up by something jumping on his legs. He thought it was their living cat Griffin and reached down to pet her. He felt her kneading on the blanket but when he reached to pet her there was nothing there. He then heard and felt the weight lift off him and land on the floor and hear her walking on the hard wood floors, bus saw nothing.
He got up and looked around and found nothing so we went to the bedroom where Jamie had retired early and found their living cat sound sleep next to Jamie. He was so excited about what had happened that he woke Jamie up to tell her what had happened and she wasn’t surprised at all and said “Congratulations” and rolled back over and went back to sleep.

Info on Team Member Michael Pfeifer

8/20/2014

As featured in Historic Haunts of the South by Jamie Pearce

My name is Michael Pfeifer, and I work as a Historic Site Interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg. This story is about a true event that happened to me at one of the sites that I work at- The Public Gaol. The Gaol (pronounced jail) has two of the original cells (completed in 1704), but the rest is reconstructed. Mr. Peter Pelham was the Keeper of the Public Gaol during the 1770s. There have been stories about noises, footsteps, and sightings before, so we jokingly say that Mr. Pelham is still keeping an eye on the Gaol.
One day in early spring 2006 another interpreter and I were scheduled to work at the Gaol. Since there were only 2 of us, we would take turns interpreting the site. One of us would interpret for an hour while the other took a break, and then we would switch. I was interpreting first, so my co-worker went to get a cup of coffee at the break room in the Capital. It was still early, and no guests had arrived yet. That means that I was entirely alone. Or was I?!?
While opening the Gaol site, I noticed that there was something wrong with the modern central air system. It was extremely stuffy inside the Gaoler's house. There was no air movement, and it was way too hot inside. First, I called Work Control to make them aware of the situation. Then I decided that I would open the back door leading to the exercise yard and original cells outside and then come back and open the front door of the house. Perhaps that would let some air flow through and move some of that dead air. I walked through the Gaoler's house and opened the back door as planned. I then started back to the front of the house. While I was walking through the hall (parlor) I heard what sounded like a coin hit the floor behind me. I stopped and turned around. Sure enough, there was a Lincoln head penny laying on the floor behind me. Again I turned around to find another Lincoln head penny laying on the floor. Still unaware of anything odd, I bent over to pick it up. Again I heard a coin hit the ground behind me. I bent down to pick it up. Again another penny hit the ground behind me. The pennies continued to drop in just this fashion for what seemed like several minutes.
I did begin to think something funny was going on. First I thought I had a hole in my pocket, so I checked. No holes in either pocket. Besides that, I NEVER carry change in my pockets. The pennies weren't mine. Then I began to suspect a co-worker was playing tricks on my. I searched the whole house and found no-one. Since there are only two doors and I could see them both from where I stood, I am sure that no one had entered. Finally I said, "Well Mr. Pelham, I'm glad you took a liking to me, but if you're gonna drop money on me could you make it a Virginia Half-penny, or a shilling or two? Even a 20 would be nice."
Then the pennies stopped dropping. I picked up the last one and put it in my pocket with the rest. I could hear my colleague coming down the path from the Capital, so I opened the front door and went out on the front steps to wait for him. When he got there, he noticed I had a confused look on my face and he said, "What?!?"
I said, "Clayton, the strangest thing just happened to me!" and I began to tell him the story. While I was talking the front door slammed shut and something came flying out from inside and it his me in the chest. He said, "What was that?" I said, "It was probably a penny." I looked at the ground and it WAS a penny. I picked it up and put it in my pocket.
I went home with 35 pennies in my pocket that day. They were all modern pennies with assorted dates. There were no wheat pennies. I did not notice if they fell heads up or tails up.
I shared the story with all my co-workers, and they were all amazed. Some couldn't believe it, and some just plain got freaked out. They all swore that they hadn't done it. They said that if it had been then that they would claim it. They said that it would be too good of a prank to go unclaimed.
So where did the pennies come from? Did Peter Pelham or another spirit decide to make themselves known to me that day? I don't know. I have worked at the same site many times since then, and nothing else has happened to me.

Info About Team Member Megan Morin

8/20/2014

I worked as a "Turn-Down Attendant" for the Casa Monica hotel. This meant that we would come in the rooms in the evening and tidy up, throw away garbage, change sheets, soaps and shampoos, fold the bed a certain way and leave a newsletter and chocolate on the bed. Everynight the routine was the same, each room a little different. Each employee was given about 2 floors to complete each night. One thing was for sure though. None of the Turn-Down Attendants (as well as House Keepers from what I was told) liked doing one particular floor...the 4th. One night I was talked in to switching floors with another employee who absolutely did not wish to do the 4th floor this particular night. I looked at my checklist after turning down several rooms and noticed the St. Francis suite was next. This is a beautiful 2-story suite with beds downstairs and a Master bedroom upstairs, as well as a sun room in the back. Immediately when you walk in you see a bathroom to your right and then 2 beds on the left. Directly in front of you is a staircase that leads straight up to the Master Bedroom area. As a Turn-Down Attendant you are required to first knock on the door several times waiting for a response before you can enter. Once you enter the room you must still call out, "Turn Down Service!", so that anyone who may have not heard you knocking will hear that you have entered the room. So I did this normal routine entering the St. Francis Suite and heard no reply. I started to clean the first bathroom downstairs and stopped for a moment because I thought I heard something. Silence. I went back to cleaning and heard something again. This time it sounded like footsteps walking on the floor coming from upstairs. From the bottom of the stairs I called out, "Turn-Down Service!" Silence. "Hello!? Is anyone upstairs?" Footsteps again. "Would you like Turn-Down Service?" Silence. I started walking up the stairs slowly. "Hello? Is someone here?". Now, you may be asking yourself at this point why I would continue going upstairs if someone were in fact there. It would seem logical to leave the suite allowing the guests their personal space, as they clearly were not hearing me or just not responding. Well for 1.) The Casa Monica Hotel is very strict about cleanliness and upholding the services they offer. Therefore, I could NOT leave a room without providing the service unless specifically asked not to by the hotel guest. The hotel will even do checks or send in their own type of "secret shoppers" to make sure you are doing your job and now 2.) My curiosity, logic and frustration compelled me to find out what was at the top of the stairs that was not responding after my many attempts. So I started walking slowly up the stairs waiting and waiting for someone to answer my calling. I finally reached the top, expecting to see someone. Anyone. It was dark and empty. How can this be?! I checked the room thoroughly and the bathroom as well. Nothing! Was I imagining these distinct footstep sounds?! I even stepped back and fourth on the floor to recreate the sound I heard. It definitely came from this room! I went ahead and turned down the room and bathroom upstairs, until I heard noises from downstairs. I peered down the stairs from the top and called out, "Hello? Is someone here?" This time I heard footsteps and then a loud THUMP! I raced down the stairs. No one was there! Now I truly understood why most of the employees were uncomfortable with the 4th floor. With my heart pounding, my mind racing and the hairs on the back of my neck standing on their end, I quickly finished up the suite so I could get out of there. Before I left I remember blurting out something like, "It's all yours now!" After that incident in the St. Francis suite I found myself trying to trade the 4th floor with other employees so that I did not have to face what was in that room again.

Info About Team Member Eric O'Dierno

8/20/2014

I am what would be considered to be a “Skeptical Believer.” I believe that 80% or more of paranormal events can be explained with real world answers if you enter an investigation looking for answers…not ghosts. However, that still leaves the other 20% unanswered. When I was very young, I saw an old woman fade away while upstairs in my grandmother’s house. So I believe that the paranormal exists. But, sadly, something this grand has never happened to me again… so I continue to search, record, investigate and gather evidence because without hard evidence all the experiences are just ghost stories. I love talking with people when we are heading out to an investigation, there are people who come up and ask about what we are doing, some are very much into it and others are very dismissive. It is a privilege to speak to all of them but especially those that are so dismissive then getting them to at least start to think about the possibilities using examples from Albert Einstein’s theories on energy to the teachings of Catholicism. Ultimately, it is my need to help people who can’t turn to anyone else and finding the answers for them which drive my continued efforts in the field… after all, it’s not like they can just call the police after seeing an apparition!

Info About team member Jolyn O'Dierno

8/20/2014

My father has told me that when I was an infant, my family went on a trip to Graceland and I was sound asleep… until we went into the house, then I lifted my head, looking around and started gibbering and talking as babies do. A few weeks later, in our house, I was sleeping on my father’s chest when they started playing a record… again, I lifted my head and started gibbering and talking… it was an Elvis record (Was I talking to my old friend from Graceland? I guess I will never know). My grandmother always talked about reincarnation and we would watch those old documentaries on TV together. These events have led to my fascination with the paranormal field. Trying to help people with their potential paranormal events is what motivates me.

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