A History of Vampires in New England by Thomas D'Agostino

Author:Thomas D'Agostino
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: A History of Vampires in New England
ISBN: 9781614230182
Publisher: The History Press
Published: 2011-04-29T16:00:00+00:00

Hopewell Cemetery in Griswold, Connecticut, where the remains of the Walton burial lot were relocated in an undisclosed location.

It seems weird—almost surreal—in this day and age to have such evidence literally pop up in front of us, but New Englanders have a lot of eerie skeletons in their family closets and even more in their graveyards.

1807

PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS

Every New England state had at least one documented case of exhumation and exorcism for vampirism. This next account took place in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The land where the pilgrims settled (they actually first landed at Provincetown but a month later shoved off for more bountiful land) was apparently once an abode for a creature of the night. The author of the account adds a poem that he wrote for extra measure. There are no names given, like so many other New England vampire writings, but the story remains true to the historic essence we have come to know in New England. I am guessing that the writer left out specific names for the sake of anonymity on the part of the people involved. The article appeared in the very first issue of the Old Colony Memorial and Plymouth County Advertiser dated May 4, 1822. It also appears in Christopher Rondina’s Vampire Hunter’s Guide to New England, Michael Bell’s Food for the Dead and Jeff Belanger’s Weird Massachusetts. I present it here once more in its entirety for the sake of record and thoroughness.

In that almost insulated part of the state of Massachusetts, called Old Colony or Plymouth County, and particularly in a small village adjoining the shire town, there may be found the relic[k]s of many old customs and superstitions which would be amusing at least to the antiquary. Among others of less serious cast, there was, fifteen years ago, one which, on account of its peculiarity and its consequence, I beg leave to mention.

It is well known to those who are acquainted with that section of our country, that nearly one half of its inhabitants die of a consumption, occasioned by the chilly humidity of their atmosphere, and the long prevalence of easterly winds. The inhabitants of the village (or town as it is there called) to which I allude were peculiarly exposed to this scourge; and I have seen, at one time, one of every fifty of its inhabitants gliding down to the grave with all the certainty which characterizes this insidious foe of the human family.

There was, fifteen years ago, and is perhaps at this time, an opinion prevalent among the inhabitants of this town, that the body of a person who died of a consumption, was by some supernatural means, nourished in the grave of some one living member of the family; and that during the life of this person, the body retained, in the grave, all the fullness and freshness of life and health. This belief was strengthened by the circumstance, that whole families frequently fell a prey to this terrible disease.

Of one large family in this town consisting

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