Haunted Houses - Myrtles Plantantion
Why did we rate this "Confirmed"? Because multiple sources off the
internet sites have experienced paranormal activity at this location
& therefore warrants a rating of "Confirmed".
What's the tale? The Myrtles Plantantion has seen more than 10 victims fall to murder and there are 12 ghosts who haunt the mansion and its grounds. It was built in 1796 atop an ancient Native American burial ground by General Bradford who had a price on his head due to his leadership during the whiskey rebellion. The mansion was owned by General Bradford's son-in-law, Judge Woodruff, in 1817. He had a torrent love affair with the housemaid Chloe. The judge ended the affair and when he caught Chloe eavesdropping on a business call he cut her ear off. In retaliation Chloe poisioned Mrs. Woodruff and their two daughters. The three died horrific, painful deaths. The deaths of the sweet angel children enraged the slaves on the plantation and they hung Chloe from a tree on the property. Chloe is an angry and vengeful ghost who has frightened many guests and owners of the Myrtles. The softer side of the ghosts are those of the Woodruff children. Little blonde cherubs they play about the mansion and the grounds, they peek through windows, can be heard giggling and playing with toys. The ghost of William Winter haunts the 17th step of the mansion's staircase. Sarah & William lived in the mansion from 1860 - 1871. William was shot in the chest by an unknown man as he came out the door. He managed to stagger back into the house and up the stairs, before dying in Sarah's arms on the 17th step. His unseen presence is heard today as he relives the last moments of his life by thumping and staggering across the entrance way, and up the stairs to the 17th step.
What do we know as fact? Thanks to this site we know the home was built in 1796 by the General David Bradford (aka "Whiskey Dave"). That's about it. New research on the home which includes documents of slave holdings by Bradford, Woodruff and Stirling (all owners of the property) did not have the name Chloe anywhere. The absence of her name considering other slaves were documented is suspect and the official Myrtles Plantation site is void of the history of Chloe which is suspect as well if the story is true. It is true, however, that David Bradford, Elizabeth Bradford, William Drew Winter, Sarah Woodruff, and two Woodruff children all died on the property. Obviously with all of those deaths in one location the grounds are going to be haunted by paranormal activity. However it should also be noted there was no reports of hauntings on the grounding until the 1970s despite the fact the home had stood for close to 200 years by that point.
Thoughts: Whether or not Chloe existed is suspect (and we lean towards "no") but there is paranormal activity on the grounds likely from all the others who have passed away on the property, for that reason the haunting is confirmed.