Elizabeth Ayers and I have traded days for October and she will post on the 26th.
With Halloween decorations everywhere and the haunting time
drawing near, today I'm sharing a tale of a genuine ghost in Erath County, Texas. Yes, I said genuine—as in real, authentic, actual. Read on if you
dare …
There are several versions of the story of Jennifer
Papworth, her husband Charlie, their son Temple, and their infant daughter. Although some accounts differ, the ending is the same: Jennifer’s ghost still haunts the area around McDow’s Hole on Green Creek. In most sightings, she carries the body of her
infant daughter. I’ve compiled most accounts of how her plight began.
Charlie and Jennifer and their son came to Texas from either
Georgia or Alabama to escape an outbreak of malaria in the 1850s. They built a
cabin on the banks of Green Creek near a scenic deep part of the creek called
McDow’s Hole. Charlie was the nephew of his neighbor, Jim McDow, Sr.
This was near the town of Harper's Mill, which later became Alexander but which has mostly disappeared (40 residents in 2000). At that time, Erath County was the frontier and home to many who
flaunted the law. Charlie and Jennifer apparently had no trouble when they
arrived. Charlie worked hard and, according to Jim McDow Jr., the family was
successful.
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| Now Erath County is picturesque and home to Texas A&M University at Stephenville |
Charlie eventually learned that his parents had died and he
had inherited their furniture. He had it shipped by train to Texarkana but that
was as far as the rail lines ran at that time. Leaving Jennifer, their son Temple, and their
infant daughter at the cabin, Charlie left for Texarkana to collect his
inheritance.
Jennifer and the children were supposed to spend nights at
the home of their neighbors, the Jim McDow family, and return to the cabin and
her chores only for the days. When she didn’t return one evening, the McDows
feared for her and the children but thought she might have gone to the home of
the Beige Keith family, other neighbors.
The next day the McDows and Keiths went to the Papworth
cabin and found the cabin interior disturbed and blood, but no Jennifer or the
baby. As they deliberated, Temple crawled out from under the bed. He was so
traumatized he couldn’t form sentences to tell what had happened.
W. P. Brownlow led the claim that the attack was renegade
Comanche. Soon, the recovered Temple told his father that story wasn’t true. He said the men
were white and spoke English.
In fact, there was a group of local thugs who dressed as
Indians to rob homesteads and rustle cattle. Because of Brownlow's insistence and the
fact that his quirt had been found near the cabin, Brownlow was suspected. He
explained the lost quirt by saying he had been by the cabin the day before the
attack and stopped to ask if Jenny had seen his stray cattle. Although he was
still under suspicion, no actual proof could be obtained.
As new people moved into the area, Brownlow began a campaign
accusing Charlie of horse thievery. Soon there were enough new residents who
didn’t know Charlie and believed Brownlow. One night in 1857, a group of hooded
“vigilantes” went house to house pulling men to receive “justice”. Charlie and five
other men were targeted and hanged one by one from a pecan tree on the banks of
McDow’s Hole. Charlie was hanged last, near daybreak.
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| Pecan tree, Texas state tree |
The leader suggested eliminating Temple, but the other vigilantes
weren’t willing to kill a child. The pecan tree was Temple Papworth’s favorite
climbing tree. He cut the rope and freed his father in time to save him. Charlie tried to help the other five victims, but they were dead.
At least two of the other victims were innocent men. Charlie had recognized Brownlow’s voice as the leader of the
hooded men. Fearing for their lives, Charlie and Temple Papworth borrowed a
horse from Beige Keith and left for Oklahoma Territory. They never returned.
That’s when sightings began of Jennifer carrying her baby.
Over the years, many people have witnessed Jennifer walking
in the area. She has been seen standing on the railroad tracks where the train
passes through her. Beige Keith and his son saw her when they spent three
nights in the Papworth cabin. People stayed in the cabin on a dare, but most left
during the night. One was found dead with the door barred, apparently literally scared to death.
Dieletta Hickey recounted stories of her family members seeing
Jenny and her baby countless times. When appearing to them, Jenny appeared a live woman carrying an infant, but would disappear. Once Dieletta asked her mother why she never
admitted to seeing Jenny. Mrs. Hickey replied that if she did, someone would
tell her there was no such thing as a ghost. If that happened, it would be the
same as calling Mrs. Hickey a liar but how could she prove otherwise? She said she knew exactly what she’d seen
over the years, but the information was best kept within the family.
One satisfying (to me) sighting was when W. P. Brownlow was on
his deathbed. Fearing reprisal from Charlie, Brownlow had moved to Hamilton, Texas. He had two men sitting with him on death watch.
He screamed, “That
woman, that woman! Keep her away from me!”
The men saw Jenny’s ghost standing at the foot of the bed.
Then, Brownlow confessed to killing Jenny and her baby and
throwing the bodies down a deep well and covering them with rocks. He said he
believed Jenny had heard him making plans with two rustlers. To keep her quiet,
he murdered her and her baby.
Although Jenny Papworth's story started over 160 years ago, people still
see Jenny and her baby. Sometimes she hovers over McDow's Hole as if walking on
water. Other times, she walks among the trees of that lovely setting near Highway 6 and Farm to Market 914. The
property is now marked with a “No Trespassing” sign.
Beware: Jenny doesn’t observe
such signs!
What about you? Have you ever seen a ghost?
Sources:
TALES OF BAD MEN, BAD WOMEN, AND BAD PLACES, C. F. Eckhardt, Texas Tech University Press, 1999.
Caroline Clemmons is the Amazon bestselling and award winning author of numerous western romances.
Her latest release is MISTLETOE MISTAKE, a Christmas story. Originally this story was included in the anthology Wild Western
Women…Mistletoe, Montana.
Shannon Callahan worked hard to become a physician.
In New York, she meets resistance to a woman doctor and feels she is treated as no more
than a midwife. When the opportunity arises for her to go to Montana and be the
only doctor in the town of Mistletoe, she grabs the chance.
Riley McCallister is sheriff of Mistletoe, Montana. When he
learns the new doctor is a woman, he is shocked and vows never to let her treat
him—no matter how beautiful she is. Slowly, Shannon’s skill wins his
respect—and more. Shannon’s expertise and dedication during a measles epidemic
convinces the town she is a good doctor—but does their acceptance come too
late?
Find Caroline's complete list of books at her Amazon Author Page. Join her mailing list to receive a free copy of HAPPY IS THE HEART.
