In a quiet cemetery adjacent to a church in rural Rhode Island, you can find the grave of New England’s last suspected vampire, Mercy Lena Brown. The events surrounding this vampiric suspicion shocked many at the time, and may still surprise people today. The incident is an example of true folkloric beliefs surrounding the threat that the dead (or undead) could pose to the living.
The grave of Mercy Lena Brown
Normally referred to as Lena in life, Mercy Lena Brown was just 19 years old when she passed away from consumption in January of 1892. This same disease (now known as tuberculosis) was also responsible for the death of her mother, Mary Eliza, in 1883 and her older sister, Mary Olive, in 1884. Both of their graves can be found near Mercy’s.
The graves of the Brown family
Unfortunately, even after the loss of three people, consumption had not yet released its hold over the Brown family. The month following Mercy’s death, her older brother, Edwin, returned from Colorado Springs. He had spent almost two years there in the hopes of curing his own case of consumption. Sadly, the time away hadn’t helped and he was home to spend his final days.
One can only image the grief Edwin’s father, George, must have been feeling. He had already lost his wife, two daughters, and now it seemed his son was soon to follow. His neighbors, however, were of the opinion that there was one last hope. They pressed George to have the bodies of his family exhumed. They believed that, if fresh blood were found in one of the hearts, it would be evidence that the deceased was somehow feeding off of Edwin. Although George refused at first, he eventually relented and the bodies all three women were disinterred.
The local medical examiner, Dr. Harold Metcalf, was asked to perform the autopsies. The remains of Mary Olive and Mary Eliza were both too decomposed to contain blood. Mercy’s body, having only been entombed for a couple of months, was in a much better state. Blood was found to be present in the heart (and possibly the liver depending the account). Although Dr. Metcalf explained that this was to be expected, the townspeople had the proof they were looking for. The heart and liver were then burned on a rock. The resulting ashes were mixed with water and given to Edwin to drink. Unfortunately, though not surprisingly, the cure did nothing and Edwin passed away that May.
Grave of Edwin Brown
The Chestnut Hill Cemetery, where Mercy is buried, sits adjacent to the Chestnut Hill Baptist Church and the Exeter Grange. It is designated as a Rhode Island Historical Cemetery (Exeter 22). The Brown family graves are located by a tree to the left of the main path. Mercy’s grave often has trinkets and offerings left around it. You’ll also notice that her headstone is secured by a metal apparatus to prevent theft. On the East side of the cemetery, there’s a stone structure that supposedly held Mercy’s body until the spring when the ground thawed and a grave could be dug. The entrance to it is now bricked up. Please keep in mind that this is still an active cemetery, so there may be people there in mourning. Whenever visiting sites like these, it’s important to be respectful.
Back of Mercy’s Grave
Chestnut Hill Cemetery Crypt
The vampire case of Mercy Brown is certainly not the only vampire incident that occurred in the United States. However, it’s often discussed in books and TV shows, so it’s likely the most well known. I attribute this to a few different factors: it was last one to happen in New England, it’s very well documented, and the location of the grave is known. It’s an amazing piece of history and a fascinating example of folklore relating to death and disease.
Could this be the stone upon which the heart and liver were burned?
(If you’d like to learn more about beliefs concerning vampires, please take a look at my book, Vampires of Lore: Traits and Modern Misconceptions.)
Location:
467 Ten Rod Road
Exeter, RI 02822
Sources:
Bell, Michael E. Food for the Dead: On the Trail of New England’s Vampires. New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2001.
D’Agostino, Thomas. A History of Vampires in New England. Charleston, SC: Haunted America, 2010.
Written by A. P. Sylvia
