The Arcane Files: Ghost Hunter Blog

Everyone always loves a good ghost story, well that is something I have always enjoyed reading about and watching on TV as a kid. I couldn’t understand why I loved anything to do with the supernatural and the paranormal. I could never understand why I was so drawn to it. Even coming from an upbringing with a mix of being religious, atheist, science and logic; I was always told that these types of things don’t exist or there is always a logical explanation for them. However, I never could wrap my mind around as to what drew me in all the time into that realm. I don’t know if it was because I was always so curious of the unknown, or why there are some things in this world that cannot be explained. It almost felt like I wanted to uncover the truth for why there are things in this world that not anyone can understand. After so many years of researching, interviewing, reading and watching stuff about the paranormal over the years and as I grew into my teens, I soon stopped having a fascination with the unexplained. But I soon found myself drawn right back into this spiritual world even after it became something that I forgot existed. I stopped believing in ghosts from high school and into my college years. But then that finally changed until I finally came face to face with one during my last few college years and I knew I had no explanation for what happened to me. But I will share that story another time. I finally decided to dive deep into the spirit world, and I chose to do a few paranormal investigations in October of 2022 to see if it really is true if ghosts are real or not? I decided not to post 2 ½ years ago because this was the first time I really had a chance to do this. I have learned so much in just a short amount of time and I have met so many well respected and legendary people in the paranormal field. Where I have had a chance to learn from them and grow so much, to better understand the spirit world and know when I am ever coming across anything that is either good or evil. I am still a novice in this field but with each investigation I’ve done I continue to better fully understand this hidden world. But even doing this alone has helped me grow a lot more spiritually as well and helped me understand my own personal gifts that I have now fully embraced as well; that I hid originally and chose not to embrace for a long time. Before I get into my first paranormal investigation experience here is a little bit of history of the historic Berkeley Plantation and how the paranormal activity first occurred.

Brief History:

Located just 30 miles southeast of Richmond along the James River lies the historic Berkeley Plantation. Built in 1726 by Benjamin IV Harrison for him and his wife Ann Carter; the Georgian mansion is one of the oldest three-story brick homes in Virginia and sits on over 650 acres of land. Before the plantation was constructed the land itself has a lot of history for also being the site for the first thanksgiving in Virginia on December 4, 1619; just 12 years after Jamestown was established. Which was led by Captain John Woodlief and as they came ashore to where Berkeley now stands, he along with his men gave thanks to God for this new land and their safe journey to the new world and that was how the first thanksgiving came to be. However, the peace was short lived in which the Indian massacre of 1622 took place on this land and all throughout Jamestown. Chief Opechancanough of the Powhatan had launched an attack on the Virginia colonists. Because the colonists were trying to launch cultural deconstruction of the Powhatans. His goal was to drive out the English colonists for good with this launched attack in which nearly 347 colonists had lost their lives, which was a quarter of the Virginia colony. So right before the plantation was built a lot of innocent blood had already been spilled on this land; but this was only the start in which so many more tragedies would take place here.

Berkeley Plantation later on became the birth home of Benjamin V who is one of the nation’s Founding Fathers and he also signed the Declaration of Independence. While he was attending The College of William and Mary at age 19 tragedy struck when his father and one of his sisters were killed by a lightning strike while he was closing a window upstairs. His other sister Lucy was also struck as well but she ended up surviving. They unfortunately were not the only family members to have been struck by lightning in this house. Benjamin V was then forced to return home and manage the family’s plantation among several other ones that were nearby as well. He then got involved in politics after running the plantation for 25 years. He not only was known for being a Founding Father and signer for the Declaration of Independence he was also a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses, Chairman of the Whole House, and a member of the House of Delegates. When the American Revolution broke out, he began serving as a lieutenant in the county militia and took the job of chief magistrate. During the revolution there was at least 18 warships for the American Navy which caught the eye of the infamous Benedict Arnold. When Arnold first came to Berkeley, he was at first very friendly with Harrisons but soon he later returned with his troops after he heard the family left the estate and preceded to burn every single piece of furniture and bedroom within the Harrison home. Even though the wood structure was damaged the brick structure still stood. After the revolution Benjamin V was the Governor of Virginia for 2 terms until he passed away shortly after his 65th birthday due to complications from Gout on April 24, 1791.

As time passed many generations of Harrisons have walked through the halls of Berkeley another one that really sticks out is Charlotte “Lottie” Harrison who is the daughter of William A. Harrison, and they were both cousins to the family. Unfortunately, Lottie met a tragic ending and along with her father. They were walking down the stairs in the main house during, yet another devastating thunderstorm and Lottie and her father were struck dead by lightning on the main stairs. Lottie was only 11 years old when she passed away.

The home later became the birthplace to the 9th President of the United States William Henry Harrison; he was also an American military officer, politician, and the first president to die in office. During the War of 1812 he served as a major general and fought in the Battle of Tippecanoe.

When Benjamin Harrison VII inherited Berkeley. The plantation was starting to hit financial troubles. Later, when Benjamin Harrison VIII inherited the estate after his dad, he was the last Harrison to own Berkeley Plantation. Due to poor farming techniques the plantation was bankrupted, and the bank foreclosed on the property and the Harrison family were evicted after 150 years of owning the property.

In 1861 Berkeley once again saw another war when the Civil War broke out and Berkeley served as a base for the Union Army. General George B. McClellan's and Union major General Daniel Butterfield armies were both stationed here. The main house had also served as the hospital for injured or sick soldiers. During the Civil War at that time there wasn’t a whole lot of medical knowledge compared to what we know now. So, at that time there were a lot of amputations on the soldiers that had been shot. Then in 1862 during a raid on the Potomac which was led by Confederate General J.B. Stuart, a cannonball had been shot into the side of the kitchen building where it remains still to this day. There was a lot of gun fire and cannon balls being shot, and even the slave quarters were burned down during the Civil War. Believe it or not too, even Abraham Lincoln had set foot here and he visited her quite frequently and he is also a distant relative to the Harrison family.

After the Civil War the Harrison family tried to buy back the property but were unable to regain possession of Berkeley. The bank had rented out the property from time to time to farmers and the main house was used as the barn it started to fall into disrepair and neglect it started to become uninhabitable. Then in 1907 Berkeley Plantation was purchased by John Jamieson who had a connection to the already; he was the drummer boy for General George B. McClellan's Army, and his brother was a Union officer. Then in 1927 his son Malcolm Jamieson and his wife Grace Eggleston had moved into to the house and started to restore the property. It took a lot of time and funds, but they were able to fully restore the property to its original glory. Today the Jamieson family continues to maintain the property. Where they will continue to carry on the legacy to preserve the history Berkeley for generations to come. However, even the spirits have some history and secrets they still want to share, and there are some secrets that can’t stay buried.

Other facts

• Berkeley was built into a settlement and one of the first shipyards in America.

• In 1621, America’s first whiskey distillery was built at Berkeley.

• The first 10 presidents of the United States have visited the property.

• The creation and first playing of “Taps” was here at Berkeley in 1862.

Reported PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

With Berkeley’s long history and with so much blood that has been spilled on this land it’s no surprise that its haunted. Over the years there have been many sightings of apparitions, voices, things moving, windows and doors opening and closing on their own. Some sightings include the spirit of William Harrison IV and he is still quit friendly with the visitors. He is known to make the chandeliers glass tinkle when there is no one in the room. He occasionally also likes to play jokes on the staff by constantly swinging open the linen press and it will swing back and forth. He also likes to move the fruit from the fruit bowl here and there and on more than one occasion the fruit will be tossed around as if someone picked them up.

Even William Harrisons IV daughter Lottie who once called Berkeley home continues to live in her former bedroom upstairs. She can often be seen with a baby in her arms standing in front of the window that would not shut the night she died so long ago. Even the upstairs window will open and close on its own and during tours when the story is being told the window will slam shut right on cue.

There is a spirit that also likes to stir a little bit in the attic; that constantly paces back and forth, and the identity of this spirit continues to be unknown.

Even many soldiers from both the civil war and the revolution have been seen many times throughout the property. The apparition of a tall, gaunt soldier has been seen walking along the river and on some occasions, he is accompanied by a little drummer boy.

Also, the spirit of Grace Jamieson has been sighted as well, she passed away in the house from a heart attack on the second floor in 1999. There are reports that you can smell her distinct lavender perfume, and it will come and go as if it was never there. Even the caretaker I spoke with even said that was his first encounter with paranormal activity at Berkely. He said he was upstairs in Grace’s former bedroom, and he caught a whiff of her lavender perfume that’s been reported.

The Investigation

At the start of the night, I was starting to wonder what I was getting myself into but, I knew that once I stepped foot of my car there was no turning back. I admit I was still very skeptical at doing this, but I really want to know if these things do exist or not. At the beginning I got to meet the investigators of the RTL Paranormal group who also host many public investigations through Flumeri Promotions which is owned and founded by Ray Savino and his team. Another paranormal group that was also in attendance for the investigation was Transcend Paranormal which is led by founder/lead investigator Steve Dills. They were all very friendly and welcoming and we were all divided up into 5 different groups and we would go to 5 different locations on the property for at least an hour to investigate. The people that work at the plantation went over some of the history and experiences they had as well. But overall, I kept wondering am I going to see, hear or feel anything tonight. Because there was even the possibility, I wouldn’t experience anything at all but, I just really wanted to keep an open mind since this was my first time doing an actual investigation. Since in the past its been mostly from just personal experiences and just reading and researching about the paranormal world. But I admit as soon as I walked into the carriage house, I was already picking up on something. My head started to feel a little dizzy, it almost felt like my brain was getting squeezed or just filling up with fog. But as soon as I stepped out of the building, I felt fine like it quickly just lifted off me. I even told the lead investigator what happened, and he said that what I experienced is normal when guests are here in this building. He said even those that have the ability to be more open to the spirit world can have this feeling or be able to sense when spirits are close nearby. I wasn’t scared when he told me this because it pretty much validated what I knew I already had. Even though it’s a part of me I never thought this would come back up to the surface. But I do know that what I felt in the beginning was going to be the start of a long night for me. I even asked Ray Savion on his thoughts about the paranormal activity and he says “I believe Berkeley Plantation is haunted by many spirits. Each building has a different spirit...or more. In my opinion, I feel like it is more active during the winter, when it's the slowest. My thought on why is because the colder weather brought the worst. Famine, hypothermia, death of slaves, etc. But, more importantly....people need to visit Berkeley Plantation not just because it's haunted. But, also visit it during the day. Do the tours, other functions they do. We need to preserve history.”

• The Graveyard

Our first stop of the night was at the old family cemetery and that was a good start to the night. When we arrived at the graveyard the other people attending, the investigators, and myself started breaking out our equipment. I brought my digital camera; I used a program on my phone that is an Obvilus-that is a dictionary of words and that it throws words out based on the energy around the space. Even though the program may be built into a phone what we do is we put it on airplane mode so that way there is no internet connection or any other type of interference. That way it will provide more clear accuracy. Even though it is still farfetched I even used my phone to record EVPs which stands for Electronic Voice Phenomenon. I didn’t get any EVPs, but we then tried a different approach, and we used the Echovox program which is similar to the Obvilus but I personally would describe it as listening to the voices of spirits more clearly. One girl in my group named Krista used the program on her iPad. I would use it eventually throughout the night as well. The one member of the group would be listening to any words that would come through with the Echovox while we asked the questions.

-The first question we asked What message do you have? The she heard the word “Shot” and “Hold Him”

-Did you live here? “possibly” “Jen, Benjamin, Devin” “outside of” “collect.

-Are you buried here? “Edward”

-Is it Edwards? “Not him”

-Do you know the people buried here? “slowdown”

-Is it your job to watch over them? “Send him” “guns” “lost” “hi” “love me” “killed him”

-Are you the one hiding behind your friend? “no” “forced him”

-Forced him to do what? “Her head” “Sought her head”

Based upon what we gathered from this session was that this was a little girl that died very quickly with a quick sharp blow to the head. It made me think back to the massacre of the Jamestown settlers in area could this be the spirit of a child that had been killed in the massacre. But another possible theory is that this could also be the spirit of a slave child that had been severely abused while working on the plantation. The female investigator that was listening with the headphones was telling us she could hear 2 people talking but couldn’t make out what they were saying, and she said she heard a little bit of giggling with the Echovox and she even said she heard “hold” and “help”. I also remember that hold not only means to physically hold something, but hold is also an old colonial term which used to tell soldiers to stop attacking. Whether it’s connected to the soldiers that fought on this land or someone that was hurt we will probably never know for sure, but I do know it’s related to one of them.

Some other things that did occur while investigating the cemetery was that we all could hear a little girl talking and singing coming from the path. We even had 2 mediums that were with us that were talking to the spirit of the little girl. They couldn’t get a name, but I do personally believe it had to be Lottie Harrison because her spirit has been sighted here on the property and her grave was here in the cemetery next to her father. At that same time, we heard footsteps coming up the trail like we could literally hear the gravel moving like someone was walking on it. On our way back to our home base after investigating the cemetery we heard screaming that we didn’t know where it was coming from. We even saw lights and I even saw one myself; it was a green orb. It wasn’t a firefly because it was late October, and they were all gone for the season, and it moved too fast to even be a firefly. We even heard what sounded like a woman sighing and I even asked everyone in the group if any of them made that sound and they all said it wasn’t them and they even said they heard it too. We even heard that a lot throughout the night.

• The Carriage House

This next location of the investigation definitely had a lot of activity. Even the paranormal team said that when they were in this location the previous year, they saw a large black mass walk across the room. They even said that the door that led outside had opened by itself after they asked, “If you are here can you make your presence known” and the door had opened at least 4 inches. I admit every time I walked in the carriage house where it was also our home base my head always felt heavy and almost foggy.

We started off our investigation by asking the same exact question and we heard something shifting in the back corner like something moved. Then there was a change in the air pressure on the EDI and Meter Data Logger. We were also told that previous group that was in there said they got the name “Bacon” which referred to Nathaniel Bacon and his rebellion campaign came right past Berkeley Plantation. He also had 2 homes that were not too far from Berkeley which is now the site of Richmond, and his other one was near Jamestown. I also thought I heard the word “go” but no one said it and I even asked if anyone said it too. But then the other investigators heard drums and more screaming coming outside near the back of the carriage house. I asked the question “are you a female?” what I captured on my camera that I rewatched later was what I thought was a black shadow go past a light and it wasn’t one of the investigators. At that same exact time, I thought I also heard a moan coming from outside. We then heard this creaking sound, and it was a door to the back kitchen, and we could literally hear the springs like someone had opened the door.

• Echovox Session 1: We decided to take 2 turns to see what each one of us would get. I decided to be the first one to use it at this location. As soon as I put the headphones on, I heard the word “spirit”. I also still had my camera rolling so I could go back and listen to what questions were being asked since this experiment was meant for whoever is listening with the headphones can’t hear what the other people were asking.

-The first question that was asked was How old are you? “British”. While I had my headphones on, they also thought they heard someone again moving around outside and it couldn’t have been anyone from any of the groups because it wasn’t time to rotate yet.

-The next question was Who’s British? “Girl” “Stop” “Phone”

-Are you British? “Human” How many of you are here? Is there more than one of you? “Native” “Edward” “Little” Are you a child? “Peter” Are you still here with us? “Outrage” “Sibling” “Massive” “running” “stop” “your fooling” Who are you fooling? “Wipeout” “Out, Out Basement”

-Is there anyone you want in the basement to leave “Edward” Edward are you a British person “Edward” They then asked if Edward had the last name Bassett and there was no response. I don’t remember why they asked that question I never got a chance to ask if that was a relative’s name of one of the investigators, but I also have no idea if there was ever an Edward that lived here on the property, but it is still definitely something I will eventually look into next time I’m in the area. It was still very interesting that we got the name Edward multiple times throughout the night. After the investigator had asked that then “hunted me” was said. She then asked did you die in the massacre “Men” “Nathan”. Even though I couldn’t hear them with what questions they were asking it was still incredible to get that kind of information and how it ties in with all the history in the surrounding area. Especially since Bacons Rebellion campaign went right past this area and I have personal ties to Bacons Rebellion because I am part Mattaponi which was the sister tribe to the Powhatans. In which sadly my own people were slaughtered during the rebellion.

-They then decided to do an experiment while I was listening, and they decided to play TAPS since that ties in with the property and I could hear the music a little bit through the headphones, but I then heard the word “Trumpet” as clear as day. “Hurt”. Do you know what this song is called? “Hurt Them” I had originally said “What?” but that was because I was a little scared when I heard that come through the Echovox.

• Echovox Session 2: During this one I did not have the headphones on, and Krista took a turn this time. I then asked Is there a British girl here? “His Wife”. At this time, I heard something moving in the room where we heard the door creaking in the back and at first, I thought it was a chain rattling. I walk over and the door to that back room that leads to the kitchen is open at least 1 ½ inches. Me and another investigator asked if they had closed the door all the way the last time, they were over here 10 minutes ago and they said they did close the door. Then the man with the headphones heard the word “hello” through the headphones, and that was said as I was by the door. Mary who investigates with Flumeri comes over to go in with me and then as we were about to go in the kitchen we heard growling. As we were walking around, we could still hear him in the other room with the headphones and we heard her say “Help”. We checked the kitchen to see if there was a draft coming from the kitchen and there was none. There was also no one in the kitchen. We then closed the door to the kitchen as we were leaving to see how hard it takes to open that door, and you really have to push it to get it to be open just ajar like that. As we were getting ready to go back into the room we heard the spring rattle again. We both jumped back a little and were shocked we heard that. Then “Whisper” was said then we go Sorry are we being to loud? “He’s Dead” Who’s dead? “Presidents.” After that we ended the Echovox session, and he said as me and Mary were about to enter the kitchen, he said he heard “wait” and “stop”

The last group that was in the carriage house got the word “Get Out” after they played Taps.

o Dowsing Rod Session: We then decided to use dowsing rods to try and switch it up a little bit the one investigator that was our group leader asked Are you Male? The rods crossed for yes. For some of those that are not familiar with dowsing rods you can ask the spirits to cross for yes or they will separate for no if you ask. She then asked Are you under 10? Yes, Are you under 5? No, Are you 5 ½? Yes, she then says Hello John which turns out to be her twin brother who passed at 5 ½ years old. The rods had also crossed for Yes when she acknowledged his name. She even said go ahead and give me my hug and the rods both touched her going in the opposite direction.

- She then asked Is there anyone from Berkeley Plantation that wants to talk to us? We got a No! We then just started laughing because whenever she uses the rods her brother always comes through first. I then asked to try them myself and this was the first time I had ever used them. I wasn’t sure about them at first because this was an item I was skeptical about using because I wasn’t sure if they can easily be manipulated or not. But I still wanted to give them a try so I asked If there is anyone here that wants to talk to us? No response again. Do you want us to leave? The rods then crossed for No. I asked a few more questions and there was still no response. I then asked one more question than suddenly, the rods started to move toward me like Linda. I then asked is there someone here that knows me? They pulled apart for No. She then says that her brother might be doing that to give you a hug. I then say I guess he wanted to give me a hug too. She then took the dowsing rods out again and after I had said that, and they crossed for Yes.

I admit I was stunned by the experience in the carriage house because I was not expecting to get that amount of activity in a short amount of time. But I was also not expecting people’s loved ones to come through at a haunted location. But it turns out any persons loved will come through sometimes during these investigations but, it is also a reminder that our loved ones are always with us and watching over us. It truly left me intrigued and there was someone that was instantly on my mind and I was wondering if I would ever encounter the spirit of someone, I lost one day. But I should have known after encountering that, that it would eventually happen to me. But that experience that I was originally never expecting to happen did happen in a later investigation, but I will tell that story eventually.

• The Slave Quarters

The slave quarters were reconstructed for the movie Harriet that came out in 2019 and they sit on the former site where the slave quarters were originally located on the property. When we moved on to our next location into the former slave quarters. Someone in my group had brought out the EDI and Meter Data Logger and it kept going off to let us know there was a drop in air pressure. We asked the question Is there anything we can do for you? And it blinked which means “yes”. There were no words to describe to amount of pain and trauma these people and children went through. I sadly can relate to that because I have unfortunately been through that myself. We then were saying how sorry we were for how they were mistreated in life and what all they had gone through. We decided to give peace and respect to the spirits to let them know how things are different now and how we are all treated equal and that they did not deserve to be treated the way they did. The one investigator said he heard a whimper after we said this, and the EDI was also going off. We kept hearing what sounded like someone was weeping but we couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. Then the EMF recorder kept going off repeatedly. We were doing an EVP session during this time, and we asked they could touch the orange box and when we played it back after we asked if they could touch the orange box we heard “Yes”. As I was listening and when we got to the part where we asked did you work long hours? the EDI and Meter Data Logger went off for yes. When we also listened backed to the EVP when I said you are finally free and no longer owned, we could hear the crying as clear as day through the recorder. But it also more sounded like a sigh of relief. After hearing something like that for the first time just getting started in the paranormal investigation field it really gave me the chills right there. But there was more evidence that we captured through the EVP we could also hear this crazy humming noise, and we played it back a few times and it sounded like either a whistle or someone was blowing into the microphone. It still blew my mind how many times that EDI and Meter Data Logger kept going off.

We then went next door to the other building, and we broke out the EDI and Meter Data Logger again we thought we heard what sounded like a woman screaming, and we couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. We then asked if it could make the device go off again by going in alphabetical order. When we got to the letter “F” it beeped again. We asked it if could make the blue light on it light up and it did, but it was low. We also asked if his name was “Frank or Frederick” because we were reading the names of the former slaves that were on the property and there was no response. I even decided to use the Obvilus app on Ghost Tube. I know some people question if these apps really do work or not and I was still very skeptical at first when using it. I thought there is no way anything is going to make sense with anything that comes through the app. However, I had mine on airplane mode and later in a future investigation there was someone that used the same app but the phone he was using was no longer in service and it would need Wi-Fi to work; but that’s for another time. We got the word “cold” that came through. We then asked “F” since we couldn’t figure out the name of this spirit if he knew Sally was a slave that lived on the plantation that lived to be 94 years old. The EDI lit up for yes. We eventually realized we were communicating with a child because we then asked for it to beep by going in numerical order and it went off at either 7 or 8 because, it lit up as we were about to say 8 so we really couldn’t tell the exact age with that one. But we still got the impression that it was the spirit of child. Mary, who was in my group, decided to ask a noninvasive question because they will sometimes rather communicate with us more when we don’t usually ask the stereotypical questions, she asked will you be my love? It blinked for yes. At the same time, she was asking that I felt like someone was touching me and I could feel my camera bag being pulled. I told everyone in my group something is grabbing my camera bag, and I am completely frozen I couldn’t move. Then Krista walked over, and she could see my camera bag was moving like someone was lifting it up to look at it, and then we both could feel a cold spot in the area I was standing and wear my bag was being pulled toward. It made me think of the word “cold” we got on the Obvilus. We were both in shock. Just to see and feel something touching you that you cannot see, or touch back was almost terrifying. I was both amazed and scared at the same time because this was the first time in a long time I had been touched by a spirit. I also felt a small tug on my jeans almost like a child was trying to get my attention. We then got the name “Peter” which was the last thing we got through the Obvilus before we moved on to our next location. I cannot recall if there was a Peter on the wall plaque of the former slaves that resided on the property but, this is another thing I will look more into when I return one day to Berkeley. At this point it is the middle of the investigation and I was just shellshocked by what all I was seeing, and what we were all capturing on video. It really did start to make me feel really intrigued more than anything but, I was also starting to wonder after tonight if I would want to do this again and dive back into the paranormal world. There was just so many unexplained things that have been going on in my life and I just wanted answers to why, and where do I fall into all this.

• The Main House

During this location I didn’t record much of anything with my GoPro but looking at it now I really wish I did. But I can still remember what happened inside the house. We had started on the first floor and Mary walked near the stairs and she had looked up the stairway and she saw a shadow figure looking down the banister from the second floor. I personally believe she might have seen the spirit of Grace whose family currently owns Berkeley. We then go into the room that was once the hospital room where did a lot of amputations during the Civil War. We then decided to do the Echovox session again and I decided to do it again. I don’t remember what questions were asked but then again, I couldn’t hear what they were saying through the headphones. I just remember hearing “Hundred…Thousand” “Help Them” “Help Them Please!” “Why aren’t you helping them” “Please help them” “Save them” “Blood” “Hurt” “Shot” “Wounded”. What I was listening to started to give me goosebumps just hearing all that especially with a lot of it repeated. But as I was listening, I could clearly hear a man and woman talking through the Echovox and it sounded like they were arguing. But what was clear was that we were picking up on residual energy in that room. A residual energy haunting is when there is a strong emotional event that once took place and can sometimes leave behind the energy from that event. It basically leaves an almost everlasting impression on that time and place where the events that happened there are almost constantly repeating itself over and over again like a tape recorder. We then went into the basement, and we were told that the home was rumored to sit on land that was once a church and that the home might sit on that foundation that the church could have once stood on. There was even a door down there that was pointed like a triangle at the top which were the traditional doors that were generally used back then for churches. I had my Obvilus app open on my phone and we got the word “Bombed” and “Run”. Those words did make a lot of sense because during the Civil War a cannon ball had hit the side of the house, and that cannon ball still remains lodged in there to this day. At this point with the Obvilus app I was slowly starting to become skeptic to believer with it.

• The Cook House

At the final location of the investigation was an experience I was not expecting at all. But in the beginning, we kept hearing a women sighing, and it was loud where we all heard it and it was coming from outside near the back door. I turned on the Obvilus and it said “Roy” and we kept hearing a women breathing or sighing after that name was said. “Roy” was also a name that we read about back in the basement. We started to realize we might be making contact with a female spirit. We just decided to ask random questions one of them was Do you like to play cards? And it said “How”. We even asked if they could make one of the cat balls we had brought light up and one of them did that was sitting on the table. No one was moving in the room, and no one had touched it or was near it and you have to really move it. Then the word “scratch” came through and one of the investigators was worried that someone was about to get scratched, so she told them please don’t scratch anyone. We were also thinking scratch like made from scratch because we were in the kitchen essentially. Then “do” was said. We then could feel a change of energy in the air like it felt light suddenly just out of the blue. “Walter” Then the cat ball lit up again. I also counted hearing how many times we heard a women sighing, and it was a total of 5 times.

• Echovox Session 1-We broke out the Echovox again and Krista in my group decided she would be the one to listen and say what she was hearing. As soon as she put the headphones words were already being said before we even asked anything. “Cancer” “Must be” “People” “We Took” “Red Suit” “Yet” “You” Me and Mary then asked we want to know your story? “Why” “Hum”. Just hearing a few of those words immediately was one of them was very personal to someone in the group and the other one I immediately thought of the Red Coat during the American Revolution that took place on this land. “Shy” “Seclude” Mary then said don’t be shy we’re friends “Restitute” “Robbed” “Need Help, Help”. How can we help this lady is a nurse? “Pain” “Hello” “Rest” “Fire”. All of those were connected because restitute means to give back or refund. Whoever we were talking too could have possibly been robbed in a possible violent tragedy. Then the word “bedroom” came through my Obvilus. Then Krista said “Help”. Did they sleep here? “Yep, Yep” “Apple” are you making a pie? “Positive” “Basement” Is there something you want us to do? “Quit That” “Yeah” “Activate” “Jackson”. Jackson took a lot of us by surprise because Kristas’ husbands middle name is Jackson. “Virginia” then “Quit That” again was said, and I believe it was said because Mary was trying to get comfortable sitting on the floor.

• Echovox Session 2- Mary then took a turn listening for this next session. “People” how many people are in this room? “Full” “Free” Crippeling” “Help” Can you say apple pie? “Bite” was said through my Obvilus. Then Mary said, “Scared Me” “Out” “You’re in Trouble” “Not Good” “Self” What’s your name? “Bullheaded” “Insects Battling” Are you a child? “Come Here” Where are you? “Here *****!” I admit that one started to scare me a little. I then asked Who are you talking to? “Woodly” Then someone called us on the radio that we have 10 minutes left then to come back then “Whisper” because the spirits thought it was too loud. Then “Good” “Hurt” “Cancer” “Master” “Foods” “Lovely Foods” “Jameson”. Jameson was the name on one of the graves back in the graveyard. “Made me happy” Are you a child? “No” Did you work here? “Yes” What did you do here? “Mr.Jameson” Is that your name? “No” What did you do here “Helped” “Personal” Did you stay here? “Helped him” Did you help Mr.Jameson “I helped him” Were you related to him? “No” “Love You Jameson” “2 lovebirds” “Yep” “Married to” Did you know the Harrison family? “Yes” “I died in the house” “I’m Sorry” Are you Grace? “No” “Grace did it” What did Grace do? “Shhhh…Hit the deck! Get Down!” “Don’t…Let…Them…See…You” “Yep” “Please” “Judy Died” “Thank you” “6” which was crazy because there were 6 of us in that room. “Unfaithful” Who’s Unfaithful “I…He loved me” We asked was there an affair “Yes” Was it Mr. Jameson? “Harrison” “Had little baby…yes…died” was it stillborn? “Inside” Miscarriage? “It died…Nurse” “Stop” The word “Closet” came through the Obvilus then Mary said “Get out of there” “Baby” can you tell us which Harrison? “Yes, Harrison loved me…her” “No” “Ready” “Harrison” Are you still waiting for him? “Where” Here! “Here” “Call his buddy” “Must be…invited” then “Hold” was said the Obvilus. Hold What? “Parties” and then my name was said. That was something I was not expecting at all especially with doing this for the first time. I then asked you know my name? “Hand moved kink” I believe the spirit was talking about me playing with my necklace because I was holding onto my necklaces twirling it. “Respect” I promise you have my respect “Help me…Help You…sad,sad!” “What happened” I then asked do you want me to help you? “Stop asking” “Play Games” I then said I’m not playing games I just wanna help you “you asked I answered” “Help you clean” “She did” “Please help” How can we help you? “It hurts” “Baby” “Can’t move…can’t breathe” “Ouch” “It stopped” “Baby please” “Why, Please hurry…listen…listen…help me…don’t leave…please” Is there anything you wanna tell us before we leave? “I…I…good stay” Do you want us to help you? “Yes’ Sit Still…Want…drinking last night…both hands…hold her…birth…help her…blood…bullets…faster” then “Cable” was said through the Obvilus. After we ended the Echovox session Mary had told me that when she heard “stop asking questions” which was toward me and she said she also had heard “You…Watching You”. That left me stunned I didn’t know if that was anything negative or positive that was saying that toward me. But little did I know I would eventually find out the answer to that 7 months later at another location. The one thing was interesting from what we gathered that was asked and what was said is that I have a possible theory of who we were speaking with. Which is possibly the spirit of a former servant or a slave that was having an affair with one of the Harrisons and had gotten pregnant. The answer to that will forever be a mystery but, I do know this in our lifetimes there is always gonna be so many secrets we hide when we are alive. But even when we are long gone some of those secrets can still be revealed in the afterlife. This is another reason why we also do this as paranormal investigators, because often times these spirits wanna tell us their story and buried secrets from the past that they just want told. But we also do this to help people that have paranormal problems when there is no one left to turn to. Yet most of all we do this because we are searching for the truth. That there are things in this world that can never be explained by logic and science; and that there is proof that there is life after death.

The End of a Long Night

Going into my first paranormal investigation I was not sure what not sure what I was getting myself into. But what I experienced that night set a lot of things in motion for me because, this just became the start of not just something new, but a part of me that has always been hidden and locked away that is now open again. As I continue to dive deep into the spirit world and further discover this long-lost world that I almost forgot existed. I admit there was something else that I saw that night that was very personal to me that I experienced that I have yet to tell a soul to. I don’t want to say what it was that I saw because it’s just way too personal to share but I will definitely tell about it one day. As for the spirits that reside at Berkeley Plantation with its rich and vast history and all the tragedies that occurred on this land even before it became a planation. I believe these spirits will continue to remain here for many generations to come even when we are all long gone too. But I hope for the souls that suffered so much when they were alive can one day find peace in the afterlife.

Even though it’s been 2 ½ years since I last visited Berkeley, I still can’t help but think back to this night. Because as I was driving back to my hotel that night I knew right there after what I had witnessed and experienced that there is no going back to normal after this. I knew I was drawn to the spirt world for a reason ever since I was a child. I now want to continue to know why and I wanted to know more about a terrifying encounter I had that pulled me back into all of this.

Lastly for those that are interested in doing ghost hunts check out Flumeri Promotions and Transcend Paranormal that host public ghost hunts. You can even find more public ghost hunt events in your own home states through Eventbrite.com. I will be posting my next case within a few weeks so definitely check back for more.

References

• https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/berkeley-plantation

• http://www.berkeleyplantation.com/history.html

• http://hauntedhouses.com/virginia/berkeley-plantation/