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    Haunted Shelby County, Alabama
    Haunted Shelby County, Alabama
    Haunted Shelby County, Alabama
    Ebook155 pages1 hour

    Haunted Shelby County, Alabama

    By Kim Johnston

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    About this ebook

    Join author Kim Johnston as she recalls the ghostly history and sinister past of Shelby County, Alabama.


    Shelby County, Alabama, is at the heart of the state. The area is home to Alabama's forgotten plantations, a deep history of the Creek Indians who died during the Trail of Tears and dark secrets from areas such as Harpersville, Calera, Chelsea, Montevallo and Leeds. From eerie images of Civil War ghosts at Shelby Springs Manor to the downright sinister happenings in the Devil's Corridor of Chelsea, the scars of the past have left Shelby County a major hot spot of paranormal activity. Author and paranormal researcher Kim Johnston delivers a fascinating collection of haunts and legends from around Shelby County.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherThe History Press
    Release dateAug 20, 2013
    ISBN9781614239901
    Haunted Shelby County, Alabama
    Author

    Kim Johnston

    Kim Johnston is the founder of Spirit Communications and Research (S.C.A.Re) and has been investigating paranormal phenomena since 2011. Shane Busby was born and raised in Talladega County where he spent most of his summers working on his grandfather's farm in rural Alpine, Alabama. Today, Shane works fulltime as a software engineer and is a graduate of the University of Alabama in Birmingham.

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      Haunted Shelby County, Alabama - Kim Johnston

      possible.

      INTRODUCTION

      It has been said that Andrews Jackson’s men were so impressed with the beauty of Shelby County after the War of 1812 that they returned with their families to settle here and start a new life. I, too, have often wondered why anyone would want to live anywhere else after returning from long road trips and being greeted by a picturesque sunset as I hit the top of Double Oak Mountain just before home. This beautiful county was named in honor of the first governor of Kentucky, Isaac Shelby, who was a Revolutionary hero. Three sites within its borders claim to be the geographical center of Alabama—the true heart of the state.

      Underneath the physical beauty, bustling communities and thriving businesses that are now a part of present-day Shelby County, I have learned there lies an ugly past. The Creek Wars, Trail of Tears and Civil War all left marks on this land. Although the Creek War battles were not fought on the soil here, the Indians who lived here lost their homes as a direct result. More times than not, acts of brutality were used to remove them. The Civil War brought its own set of challenges to Shelby such as starvation and marauding bands of deserters terrorizing communities. Wilson’s Raiders, a special division of the Union army, destroyed factories, furnaces, arsenals and towns across the county. More than nine hundred sick and wounded Confederate soldiers were sent to Shelby Springs by train during the Civil War. Something that significant in history, causing so much destruction and suffering, is bound to leave a scar. Some of the wounds have never healed, and that is perhaps why the stories and sightings of ghosts in the area abound.

      Not all of the stories within these pages are born from tragedy. Sometimes the bonds of friendship and the sense of loyalty can extend into the afterlife. You will read the personal family stories of some of the old plantations that still grace Shelby County today from Montevallo to Harpersville. You will read about the hardworking people who lived and worked at Buck Creek Mills. There are stories within that have touched my heart and those that have sent a chill down my spine. From sightings of the Virgin Mary to the King of Rock-and-Roll himself, Haunted Shelby County, Alabama has a little something for everyone.

      For a detailed account of all the ghosts of the University of Montevallo, please check out Haunted Birmingham, written by Alan Brown and published by The History Press.

      PART I

      MONTEVALLO

      THE CUNNINGHAM STAMPS HOUSE

      Off Highway 119 near Montevallo and down a long, tree-lined driveway is the majestic home of Sherwood and Beverly Stamps. Surrounded by flowering meadows, the grand 1820s home sits on a knoll that overlooks bountiful green pastures and livestock. Taking in the view and the surroundings, it is no wonder that the home and eight hundred acres that accompanied it was chosen by young newlyweds Joseph and Elizabeth Cunningham. It was an ideal place to cultivate the land and raise a family. The fertile soil would provide ample crops and supply the family with enough money to enjoy the finer things in life. However, not too many people know the stories of sadness that once took place here long ago.

      The Cunninghams enjoyed several happy years on this plantation at the beginning. According to Roy Cunningham, a descendant and longtime resident of Montevallo, Joseph was very hardworking. His dedication and good investments paid off. Joseph’s success in planting allowed Elizabeth to enjoy decorating the home with fine silks and expensive furniture. At dinner parties, they served only the finest imported wines. Joseph adored his sweet wife and their growing family. They had four lively girls and one little boy who filled their home with the sounds of giggles and children at play. Much too soon, though, their house would be filled with unbearable grief.

      The Cunningham Stamps House as it stands today. Author’s collection.

      In 1831, Elizabeth gave birth to a second son. Joseph was a proud father and delighted to have another boy, but not long after the birth, his joyous feelings turned to concern. It became evident that the newborn was very weak and would not survive. Joseph felt helpless. He had always succeeded in everything he put his heart into. Yet, at this moment, there was nothing he could do, and the tiny life quietly slipped away in his mother’s arms. The parents were overwhelmed with grief at the loss of their son. Joseph made arrangements for the child to be embalmed, and the plantation’s carpenter, a slave they called Uncle Mink, lovingly built a little oak coffin. When the child’s body was returned to Joseph, he was asked about the funeral arrangements. Perhaps still in shock, Joseph growled in reply, There won’t be any funeral, and put the child in a closet under the stairs. Elizabeth, weakened by her sadness, had not been able to get out of bed since the birth but overheard what was going on. She was disturbed greatly by the thought of her baby not having a proper burial. Four days passed, and she pleaded mightily with Joseph each day to allow her to bury their son. Finally, after Reverend Dr. West, the local Methodist preacher and the town doctor, paid Joseph a visit, he relented. The child was buried in Salem Cemetery in Montevallo the next day.

      The following year, another child was born to the young couple, a strong, healthy baby girl. It seemed, though, that Elizabeth never fully recovered from the broken heart caused by her loss, and having another child so soon only burdened her body even more. Tragically, Elizabeth died in the summer of 1833, leaving behind a doting husband and six children. She was laid to rest next to her baby boy in Salem Cemetery. Joseph commissioned a brick mausoleum with an iron door to be built over their graves. The mausoleum no longer stands today, as it was destroyed during desperate times in the Civil War by Union soldiers looking for treasure. Sadly, the baby’s grave was also desecrated in the hopes that a tiny gold ring might be found around his finger.

      A mother’s love knows no bounds, so it is not surprising that shortly after the disturbance of the child’s grave, strange happenings began in Salem Cemetery. People passing by on the road at night have reported a glowing light coming from the mother’s grave. A woman’s shadowy figure has also been seen walking about as if she is looking for something. Elizabeth has made her presence known, and it is quite clear she is watching over her baby boy. After all that she went through to give him a proper burial, she is making sure that his eternal resting place does not get disturbed anymore.

      Salem Cemetery is not the only place where Elizabeth has been seen. The current owner of the Cunningham Stamps House, Beverly Stamps, has seen her as well. One night, not long after she had wed Sherwood and moved into the old home, Beverly was alone in the bedroom trying to fall asleep. She felt as though someone was watching her, so she rolled over in bed and was frightened by a woman with her hair pulled up into a bun wearing an old-timey dress hovering next to her. She could not see the woman’s face but could tell that she was wearing a style of dress from long ago. After that, the woman did not bother Beverly. Perhaps Elizabeth was just curious about the new lady of the house. Also, previous owners who were descendants of the Cunninghams had numerous experiences as well. Most notably, the wife was awakened at night on several occasions by the sound of a baby crying for its mother. Each time she would get up to investigate; the crying always seemed to be coming from the downstairs closet. Years later, Mrs. Stamps, who was unaware of the history or the ghost stories of the home, also experienced the phantom baby cries in the middle of the night. She, too, got up to check on her children upon hearing the cries, but all of her children were fast asleep in their beds. The most recent paranormal activity in the home, though, could be attributed to a third spirit that has not been mentioned yet.

      The Cunningham family graves in Salem Cemetery. Elizabeth is said to haunt the grounds. Author’s collection.

      When Beverly’s daughter Amy was dating her now husband, Dave Horrie, he had a terrifying experience in one particular bedroom of the home that is just off the living room. This bedroom has been rumored to be the place where James Cunningham, a descendant of Joseph Cunningham, ended his life in 1924. Dave was already nervous to stay overnight because Amy had told him several stories of growing up in the haunted house. He wore his headphones and listened to music to tune out all the creaks and groans of the house settling. He also kept the family’s pet Chihuahua by his side that would certainly sound the alarm if anything happened. Dave managed to fall asleep without incident but was startled awake around 3:00 a.m. by a loud crash inside his

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