In North Smithfield, RI, you’ll find a historic cemetery that contains a 19th century tombstone with a very distinct epitaph. The inscription includes some partially obscured lines at the bottom, one of which references “consumption’s vampire grasp.” Because of this captivating phrase, the grave of Simon Whipple Aldrich has entered the annals of New England vampire lore.
In a rural cemetery by an old wooden church lies the 19th century grave of a supposed vampire. Various paranormal stories have circulated about this site and it has generated some public interest for a number of years. However, any vampire lore surrounding the deceased may simply be a 20th century case of mistaken identity! Continue reading →
The coastal town of Newport, Rhode Island is famously known for its Gilded Age mansions. Lesser known is a structure that looks like it came right out of the Middle Ages. Sitting in a small park, it’s the remnants of a round tower built of stone. The origins of the Newport Tower have been a source of public debate since at least the first half of the 19th century. A variety of theories exist, many asserting that the tower predates the arrival of Columbus. Continue reading →
In an out-of-the-way cemetery in Jewett City, Connecticut, you’ll find the burial plots of the Ray family. Tragedy struck this family in the mid-1800s when a number of its members were lost to consumption (now known as tuberculosis). People started thinking that the illness was due to something supernatural. Suspicion fell upon the dead and drastic actions were taken. Continue reading →
An old and easily overlooked cemetery lies tucked away in a neighborhood in Exeter, Rhode Island. It’s small, measuring 50 square feet, and contains just 25 burials. Beneath one of the unmarked stones lies the body of Sarah Tillinghast – a young woman who, in death, was believed to be a vampire. Continue reading →
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. Continue reading →
