HALLOWEEN GHOST STORIES

Halloween is almost here and it is time for some ghost stories. Let's revisit a few places in Medina County to help you get into the spirit of this spooky holiday!

Please remember these stories are just local folklore. My information is not based on fact, only hearsay and newspaper articles. However, you will see a few places that I have done some minimal research and have updated the information. 

MEDINA

The Corkscrew Restaurant fka The Burnham House

This Victorian Home has had many names in the past 130 years. It is said that Nelson Burnham built the house in the late 1880's and it was known as the Burnham Home. The interior of the house was arranged at the direction of Mrs. Burnham herself who desired the structure to be one of convenience. Through the years it has been…The Homestead Restaurant, Great Expectations, Penny’s Poorhouse and it is now The Corkscrew Saloon. The spirits seemed to start making themselves known when it was Penny’s Poorhouse. Penny Codarini, the former owner, was always happy to talk about the haunting and felt that they must be children, due to the prankish types of incidents. Her and her husband experienced moved furniture, missing items, someone walking up and down the stairs and she even heard her name being called.

 The last time I was there I heard this story…They were setting up one of the upper rooms for a private dinner party. The table was all set with napkins and silverware and when the server came back up to make sure nothing was forgotten the silverware was all a mess and salt was spread all over the table….Like Penny said…Childish Pranks!

Medina Gazette, 10 March 1882, p. 5

I did find an obituary for the original owner Mr. Nelson T. Burnham. It states he died in the home, and according to other records, just when it was being completed. Maybe he is still there....

Spitzer House Bed & Breakfast 

 Built in 1890 by Ceilan Milo Spitzer, it is said to be haunted by several ghosts. There are two haunted rooms in particular. One of the haunted rooms is called Ceilan’s Room and the second one is called Anna’s room. Anna was Ceilan's step-mother. It is in Anna’s room that a ghost of a servant girl appears on a regular basis. The dining room is also said to be haunted. The voices of two men can be heard there. Other incidences include hearing the piano play, lights turning on and off, slamming doors and light touches and taps from an invisible source.

The Medina Library 

Note: The Franklin Sylvester Room is no longer a room at the library.  A renovation was done and the resources were moved into what is now the “Local History Room”. 

The Medina Library has a century long history of serving the community. The original library was built on its current site with funds donated by Franklin Sylvester and opened in 1907. Unfortunately, Mr. Sylvester passed away in May of 1907, without getting to see his library completed. In his will, he left the library an additional $4,000. It is said that Mr. Sylvester was under the impression that the library would always remain named the Sylvester Library. However, the library is now known as the Medina Library…not the Sylvester Library. This may be upsetting to him and he likes to remind us he is still here. His presence has been felt by a few people in the former local history room and some saw a figure of a tall, dark man. You can see Mr. Sylvester’s portrait hanging above the fireplace in the 1907 room…..

The 1907 Room 

This room is the original part of the library. When a local ghost hunter group did a program here at the library a group of people went into the 1907 room. They were able to get responses to questions on a lighted meter. It seems that a young man may be in this room. Others have felt a “presence” in this room…come and see if you do.

Sérénité fka The Medina Steak House & Saloon 

Harrison Blake built the building in 1858. Over the years the building changed hands and provided different services. It was said to be a hotel, a boarding house, a grocery store, a saloon, and a steakhouse.

The former employees say the spirit here isn't mean, just mischievous. For example, silverware ended up being switched around on the tables, a plate on the wall got turned over, and sometimes spirits were seen walking through the building.

Medina Gazette, 19 Feb 1979, p. 2

Anna is said to be one of the ghosts who haunt this restaurant. She is said to be a friendly and helpful spirit. Some say that when a fire broke out on the second floor, Anna helped to contain the fire and saved the building. There are beams in the attic that still show the scars of this fire.

Medina Gazette, 9 March 1906, p. 8

I was able to find 2 Anna's connected to the building. There was a cook there when it was the Miller Hotel whose name was Anna Tibbetts. 

Medina Gazette, 24 July 1945, p. 1

The other "Anna" was a Julia Anna Miller. She and her husband, Andrew G., ran the Miller House from 1902-1917. 

 

LIVERPOOL

Cry Baby Bridge – Abbeyville Road

The story goes that in the 1950’s a young girl threw her baby off the bridge in an effort to hide her pregnancy. Supposedly if you park under the bridge and turn off your car it will not start again until it is pushed out from under the bridge. It is also reported that you can hear a baby crying whenever it is a silent night.

The Witches Ball – Myrtle Hill Cemetery

There are two legends associated with this grave site. The first one is that there was a witch who practiced witchcraft near Myrtle Hill and was stoned by the townspeople. The second story is that there was an insane woman who poisoned her family and threw them down a well. In either case, it is said she is buried beneath the ball and some say that she was buried standing up. They say that the ball is warm when it is cold outside and cold when it is hot outside. It also is said that snow and leaves will never fall on the tombstone. Others have reported an eerie feeling of being watched while standing near the marker. The marker is actually just a unique stone marking the final resting place for the Stoskopf family.

RIVER STYX - GUILFORD TOWNSHIP

River Styx Railroad Bridge**

On March 22, 1899, Railroad Engineer Alexander Logan ran Train No. 5 along the Erie Railroad near the River Styx Bridge, traveling at nearly 80 mph. He would never meet his destination. The engine mysteriously jumped its tracks, turned over and crushed the engineer to death. No one knows what caused the train to derail, but most agree that Logan’s heroic decision to stay on the train and steer the engine saved the lives of others on board. Witnesses say that when Logan’s body was later recovered, his hand was still clutched to the throttle. Two weeks before this tragic accident, Logan confided to his colleagues that he believed he would die on that engine. Since the fatal accident, strange events have been reported on and near the River Styx Bridge. Just a few months later a local doctor and his friend witnessed a phantom train plunge from the bridge covered in flames. They said they actually heard the passengers screaming. However, when they reached the bridge to help, the train was gone. Some have been foolish enough to walk the trestle and were cut into pieces from on-coming trains and the bridge has been the site of some suicides. In addition, a strange fog has been seen to suddenly appear, and there have been a high number of car accidents on River Styx Road below the bridge, involving people who claimed to have seen something falling from the bridge. Are all of these strange incidents related to the 1899 train disaster? Or is there something much older and sinister at work here?

**After further research it has been shown that the train accident did not happen on the River Styx train trestle in Medina County...it actually happened 6 miles south on the River Styx train trestle in Rittman, Wayne County.  Right name...wrong county. 

Cincinnati Commerical Tribune
23 March 1899, p. 1

River Styx Cemetery –  River Styx Road

Locals say they have sighted a ghost on multiple occasions at this cemetery. At around the turn of the century, a few residents supplemented their income by robbing local graves and selling the corpses to medical schools in Cleveland. Grave robbing became such a problem that the folks in River Styx started burying their dead in out-of-town cemeteries. One family even constructed an above-ground stone vault at River Styx cemetery in an effort to thwart would-be thieves. On the property is the abandoned underground vault built into the side of a hill and barred by a rusty metal gate.

I went to this cemetery to get some photographs. I had planned on entering the cemetery to take pictures, but got an uneasy feeling, and I couldn’t seem to talk myself into going past the wrought iron gate and into the cemetery. The whole time I was there it felt as if I was being watched. The brave person that I am…I quickly took my pictures and left.

HINCKLEY

Hinckley Historical Society fka The Hinckley Library 

This 1845 home belonged to Vernon Stouffer, founder of the Stouffer food corporation. It became a public library in 1973, and during renovations several staff members reported ghostly manifestations. The apparitions of a young woman in an old-fashioned blue dress and a man in a hat were seen on the stairway. A workman encountered a ghostly figure on the basement stairs. Others have felt strange presences on the upper floors and witnessed poltergeist effects, such as books being thrown off the shelves. It has been suggested that the ghosts are Orlando Wilcox and his daughter Rebecca, who lived on the site during the Civil War.

SPENCER

Spencer Cemetery - East Main Street

Spencer Cemetery is just east of the town center. Strange things are reported there from time to time--chiefly the bizarre sight of an actual, metal, real-world lantern floating free in the air as if held by invisible hands. According to local stories people have approached the lantern and passed their hands above, beneath, and around it, finding no strings or apparent trickery of any kind. Sometimes a smaller lantern is seen floating near the original.

These are just a few of the spooky places in Medina County. If you want to find more you can always check out one of the Haunted Ohio books from the library. Medina County is usually mentioned at least once in this series.

If you think your house is haunted and want to know who may be haunting it come to the Medina Library's Virginia Wheeler Martin Family History & Learning Center and we can get you started on researching your home's history.  

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! 

Genealogy Slam!

 October is Family History Month
And time for the VWM Center's bi-annual
GENEALOGY SLAM!

This time of year, the Genealogy Team routinely fields questions from homeowners wishing to research the history of their home and its previous owners. Particularly those prior occupants whose presence is still felt in their home.

Join the team as we explain how to:

• Research your home's history.
• Research the people who have lived in your home.
• Use maps to enhance the history of your home.

Saturday, October 30th from 1- 4 p.m.

You have the option of attending in person or via Zoom by signing up HERE.

Get to Know Your Local Historical Societies

 

Medina County is fortunate to have many societies dedicated to preserving our local history.  For the third blog post in this series, we’re featuring the Brunswick Area Historical Society. Sam Boyer, the society's secretary, answered our questions about the society. 

If you are interested in local history and/or have a family connection to Brunswick, below are some details about the history of the society and the programs and activities it offers. 

MCDL Library Associate: How did the society begin? Who were some of the early members? 

SAM BOYER: The Historical Society of the Brunswick area (it’s official name) became active in 1992. There had been an attempt at starting one in the 70s, but it never really gained steam. Some of the founders included Linda Scarcella, Ellen Gibbs and Aqua Neura. Shortly thereafter, Mamie Grunau became involved as the city of Brunswick began looking for a permanent home for a historical society.

 
They purchased a farm on Laurel Road after the death of Mary Groening, who purchased the farm in 1947. The city became only the fifth owner of the property, which was first settled in 1818. It now consisted of 32 acres. There was a deed restriction as Mrs. Groening was known to have driven off developers with a broom.

The city used a federal grant to renovate all the buildings before leasing them to the society in a partnership in which the society cares for the buildings and the city takes care of the property.

MCDL Library Associate: Who are the people who manage the Brunswick Area Historical Society? And what are their responsibilities? 

SAM BOYER: Current officers include three Brunswick High School graduates – Carl Bilski, president; David Goodyear, vice president; Joyce Petchler, treasurer. I am the secretary and have been a member for a long time, but became active when former president/vice president Amber Dalakas moved to Chippewa Lake. Ms. Scarcella continues to be active; Mamie, who is 97, is still in touch but not attending meetings now.

MCDL Library Associate: Tell us about your upcoming programs?  Where/when does the society meet?  Do people have to be members to attend?

SAM BOYER: We have tried several approaches to programs and just began a series on early families who have descendants still here. We heard from Carol Gannon and Nola Benjamin Lowther about their families, and we will have a program on the Chidsey family at 7 p.m. Oct. 28 at Goodyear’s Big Barn, 691 Pearl Road.

On Jan. 28, Chrissy Rhoades, the online storyteller about historic Brunswick, will be the guest and that meeting will be held at the Brunswick United Methodist Church, 1395 Pearl Road. We plan to continue with other families. The public is invited to attend. As of now we don’t charge, but do accept donations.

During the summer, meetings are held at 7 p.m. the last Thursday of the month at the Big Red Barn at Heritage Farm.

 
To help make what is now known as Heritage Farm more visible, we started a farmers’ market and it  ended its eighth year with the fall foliage tour this year.

MCDL Library Associate: If an individual needs help with research -- or if they live too far away to visit the historical society -- how can they get assistance?

SAM BOYER: We have been offline a couple of years as we continue to work to open a new building meant to house more than 200 years of school artifacts. We will also move our office from the very crowded second floor and then will offer online and in person access. 

We are always open to conducting tours of the farm by appointment, by calling 330-441-0292 or emailing brunswickareahistory@gmail.com. 

MCDL Library Associate: How can an individual join the society?  

SAM BOYER: Information about the society, how to become a member, upcoming events, and videos of past programs are available at www.brunswickhistory.com.

See more about the Brunswick Area Historical Society by clicking on this link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8qPTm71mi0&t=22s

Digitized Newspapers Reveal Origins of Sweetest Day

Sweetest Day is coming up.  Celebrated on the third Saturday of October, it’s largely observed in the Midwest.  When asked about how Sweetest Day began, most assume (inaccurately) that it was invented by greeting card companies.  (In fact, American Greetings wrote a blog post to dispel that myth. Read it here.) 

The origin of Sweetest Day dates back to a celebration in Cleveland, Ohio on October 8, 1921.  In honor of the holiday’s 100th anniversary, here are 8 stories about Sweetest Day as revealed through digitized historic newspapers. Plus, read below to learn what websites can help you begin an investigation of your own using historic newspapers.

1) National Candy Day was a precursor to Sweetest Day.  

National Candy Day was the brainchild of the 32nd Annual Convention of the National Confectioners’ Association, held in Detroit, Michigan in May 1916.  Association members decided that the second Saturday in October would become known as “National Candy Day.”  Newspapers don’t reveal precisely who proposed the day, but a year later an advertisement stated that a candy manufacturer from Utah was the originator of the concept.  

“Now ‘Candy Day’ for U. S.,” St. Joseph (Missouri) News-Press,  13 May 1916, p. 1, Newspapers.com.  

The Ogden (Utah) Standard, 5 October 1917, p. 3, Chronicling America. 

2) The name Sweetest Day began as a slogan.   Locally, advertisements from the Medina County Gazette that announce “National Candy Day” and describe it as “The Sweetest Day of the Year.”  

Wall’s Advertisement, Medina County Gazette, 7 October 1921, p. 4, MCDL Digital Archives. 

Simmerman & Bachtell Advertisement, Medina County Gazette, 12 October 1923, p. 8, MCDL Digital Archives.  (Image at right.)

3) 1916’s National Candy Day was popular… but had its naysayers, too.  

Newspapers.com has a helpful feature in which it maps the locations of newspapers with your search term.  When using the search term “national candy day” in the latter half of 1916, the map reveals that a large part of the United States (including Hawaii, which wasn’t even admitted into the union yet!) took part in the holiday.  

Interestingly, in this search, the state of Kansas has the most results.  It could be that Newspapers.com just happens to have more Kansas newspapers digitized than other locales.  But Russell Stover (yes, of Russell Stover Candies) lived in Mission Hills, Kansas, with his candy company based in Kansas City, Missouri… so extra promotion of Candy Day in Kansas might not be a coincidence!

In spite of its widespread adoption, there were skeptics of the holiday.  For example, this Jackson, Michigan paper pointed out that candy didn’t really need extra promotion.  

“The Day’s Comment,” Jackson (Michigan) Citizen Patriot, 13 May 1916, p. 6, GenealogyBank. 

4) In the pursuit of candy sales, National Candy Day advertisements listed a lot of other reasons that the day should exist.  They included... 

• the consumption of candy eliciting happiness

• the wellbeing of WWI soldiers

• public education about candy as food

• a day to remember/celebrate family and friends

Boyles’ Store Advertisement, Warrensburg (Missouri) Star-Journal, 30 June 1916, p. 8, Newspapers.com. 

The Ogden (Utah) Standard, 13 October 1916, p. 8, ChroniclingAmerica. 

Roumanis Candy Shop Advertisement, Mount Carmel (Pennsylvania) Item, 12 Oct 1916, p. 6, Newspapers.com.

“National Candy Day will be Celebrated,” Grand Forks (North Dakota) Herald, 13 Oct 1916, p. 10, Newspapers.com.

The Ogden (Utah) Standard, 5 October 1917, p. 3, Chronicling America. 

5) By 1918, National Candy Day had disappeared.      

The trend can be seen in the number search results on Newspapers.com: 

Keyword search term “national candy day”

1 June 1916 - 31 December 1916 - 273 results 

1 June 1917 - 31 December 1917 - 172 results 

1 June 1918 - 31 December 1918 - 0 results  

1 June 1919 - 31 December 1919 - 3 results  

1 June 1920 - 31 December 1920 - 0 results  

A war-era shortage of sugar may have contributed to the disappearance of National Candy Day.  Tools in Newspapers.com plot the frequency of search terms on a timeline.  Between 1916 and 1921, searches for “national candy day” and “sugar shortage” show opposite trends. 

Search results for "National Candy Day" between 1916 and 1921.

Search results for "Sugar Shortage" between 1916 and 1921.

6) 1921 was the comeback year for National Candy Day. 

In July 1921, at a meeting of the Central Club of the National Confectioners’ Association, it was reported that there was a disconnect between manufacturers and retailers of candy.  Wholesale prices had dropped by 48%, retailers had kept candy at a high price point.  At the convention it was decided to bring back National Candy Day.  

Across the country (and even into Canada), committees were formed to plan local celebrations of National Candy Day. Some wanted to “install the gift spirit,” others discussed creating educational displays, some mentioned providing candy samples.  With no political, sentimental, or religious connection, Candy Day was meant to be for everyone.  

“Candy Prices Are Down,” Fort Wayne (Indiana) Sentinel, 25 July 1921, p. 9, Newspapers.com.  

“To Lay Plans for Candy Day,” Dayton (Ohio) Daily News, 28 August 1921, p. 11, Newspapers.com. 

“Plans to Celebrate National Candy Day,” Fort Wayne (Indiana) Sentinel, 5 September 1921, p. 3, Newspapers.com. 

“Candy Day,” The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada), 26 September 1921, p. 7, Newspapers.com. 

“Will Show Value of Candy As Food,” Dayton (Ohio) Herald, 31 August 1921, p. 16, Newspapers.com. 

“Oct. 8 Chosen As Year’s Sweetest Day,” Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wisconsin), 30 September 1921, p. 1, Newspapers.com. 

7) Cleveland was at the forefront of the efforts to rebrand and reposition National Candy Day as Sweetest Day.  

In 1921, the manufacturing of candy was a significant part of Cleveland (and Ohio’s) economy.  Cleveland had nearly 30 manufacturers, each employing between 100 and 600 people.  A committee of eight Clevelanders stated a lofty goal: “The main purpose of the Cleveland committee on ‘the Sweetest Day in the Year’ is to see that it is a day of happiness for every man, woman and child in Cleveland regardless of any circumstances whatsoever.”  

Though many newspapers across the nation ran advertisements and brief news articles, the Cleveland Plain Dealer created a four-page “Sweetest Day Section” chock-full of stories about candy, candy manufacturers, advertisements about candy, and the committee’s plans for who would get candy.  Individuals were encouraged to remember their spouses, parents, and children, not just with candy but with little gifts and long letters.  Treats for animals were also suggested.  The committee, meanwhile, aimed to distribute candy to every orphan, ward of state, resident of nursing homes, and newsboy in the city.  For distributing the boxes of candy, the committee members enlisting the Advertising Club, the Humane Society (an organization serving orphans), the manager of the State theater, and movie stars to help.  In the end, around 10,000 and 20,000 boxes of candy were given to individuals.  

Cleveland’s Sweetest Day plans were picked up by the Associated Press.  The story was reprinted in newspapers across the country, including states like Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Tennessee - and likely many more! 

The committee chairman, C. C. Hartzell indicated that there was “a movement to establish a national Sweetest Day in the Year” in 1922. 

“10,000 Cheered by Candy Gifts,” Cleveland (Ohio) Plain Dealer, 8 October 1921, p. 7, GenealogyBank. 

“Sweetest Day Section,” Cleveland (Ohio) Plain Dealer, 2 October 1921, GenealogyBank. 

"October 8 to Be Sweetest Day in The Whole Year," The Dispatch (Moline, Illinois), 1 October 1921, p. 7, Newspapers.com. (See image at right.)

8) Legend has it that Herbert Birch Kingston was the mastermind behind Cleveland’s Sweetest Day marketing.  

That may be the case, but, if true, the Plain Dealer made no mention of him in any of the Sweetest Day advertising.  His obituary does not identify him as having any connection to the holiday.  In fact, most of the news about Kingston seems to indicate that he was an avid golfer and tennis player.  

C. C. Hartzell, however, is identified in many articles, many years, as the chairman of Cleveland’s festivities.  Upon his death, obituaries identify Hartzell as the "founder" and "originator" of Sweetest Day.

"Many Matches Are Played on Opener," Cleveland (Ohio) Plain Dealer, 12 September 1911, p. 8, GenealogyBank.

"Golf Notes," Cleveland (Ohio) Plain Dealer, 1 June 1931, p. 9, GenealogyBank.

"Kingston, Herbert B.," Cleveland (Ohio) Plain Dealer, 8 May 1934, p. 19, GenealogyBank.

“Sweetest Day Section,” Cleveland (Ohio) Plain Dealer, 2 October 1921, GenealogyBank. 

"Sweetest Day is Set," Cleveland (Ohio) Plain Dealer, 28 September 1922, p. 7, GenealogyBank. 

"Sweetest Day Founder Dies at Shelby," News-Journal (Mansfield, Ohio), 8 September 1959, p. 2, Newspapers.com.

Want to learn more about Sweetest Day, research the origin story of a local event, or investigate a family legend? If yes, then historic newspapers are a great resource for you to use.  Explore these free and paid collections:

Free - The Digital Archives of MCDL - https://mcdl.info/newspapers

Free - Ohio Memory - https://ohiomemory.org

Free - ChroniclingAmerica - https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov

$ - Newspapers.com (free with MCDL library card) https://mcdl.info/OnlineLearning

$ - NewspaperArchive (accessible through Akron-Summit Library) - https://www.akronlibrary.org/research/databases-by-title

$ - GenealogyBank - https://genealogybank.com

Want even more newspapers or trying to find a title specific to your locale? 

Check The Ancestor Hunt’s Newspaper Links (over 39,000 of them!) for free digitized historic newspapers in the USA and Canada at https://theancestorhunt.com/newspaper-research-links.html.