Post by tt on Jul 7, 2005 16:54:56 GMT -5
The Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Cemetery near Washta, Iowa, has had a long history of being haunted. The spooky story related to this cemetery Begin in the 1890's.
Martin and Helena Schultz's' farm borders this cemetery on the north side. In 1890 Martin was 60 yrs. old and needed to hire a farm hand to help do the chores. They had hired a transient in the area, by the name of Will Florence.
Will was not allowed to live with the couple in their home, but he could live in the old one room cabin they had originally built when they purchased the farm.
Martin didn't rust the Banks back in those days. So he had the habit of hiding all their money on the farm.
Will Florence got wind of this habit, and began to scour the out buildings looking to get rich quick. But he didn't find any money.
Growing desperate with greed Will surmised that Martin must be hiding the money in their home. Hence he was not allowed in the house.
On one fateful night Will found Helena outside near the pump churning butter. Will caved in her skull with a sledge hammer, and proceeded into the house. Where he found Martin asleep in bed. He then quickly murdered Martin with the same sledge hammer. He quickly searched the home for his ill gotten gains.
The next day neighbors discovered the murdered couple, and theorized that Will was the most likely suspect in the murders.
The Sheriff arrested Will. But lacking any evidence to tie Will to the Murders, Will was set free. And he promptly fled the County, never to be seen again.
The Sheriff surmised that Will probably had found some of the money but not all of it. The Sheriff found tucked in between the pages of Martin's Bible over $800.00. He further theorized that there was more money to be found on the place, as Martin was a successful farmer. However the Sheriff was unable to find any other other rumored monies.
A year after the Schultz's Funeral neighbors started to notice the image of a face appearing on the Schultz's Tombstone. The face was on the side of the Tombstone that faced the Schultz's farm. Area residents said the face looked just like Will Florence's face, the man thought to have murdered the couple.
It's been well over 100 yrs since their death. But you can still visit their grave and see Will's face on the side of the Tombstone facing the Schultz's farmstead.
Many years ago I had gone to the farm place, and searched the dilapidated bldgs. in hopes of finding some of the missing money. Something I'm sure had been done several times in the last 100 yrs., by others seeking Martin's fortune.
I didn't have any luck, but the odd thing was; I discovered that when Martin had poured the foundation to his barn, he had placed an old glass Mason Jar into the foundation as it was being poured. The neck of the jar protruded from the foundation.
This never made sense to me for why he would do this. A glass jar would only create a weak spot in the foundation.
Years ago, and maybe even to this day, when farmers are pouring concrete foundation they would add old warn out metal parts to equipment used on the farm. These objects would help add strength to the foundation, much like adding re-bar does.
But you wouldn't add a glass jar!
Not unless you were stuffing the jar with money through it's exposed neck. and then sealing the jar with the lid, and piling up junk around the jar. Piles of junk around a barn's foundation is common sight.
I doubt Will would have dug through a junk pile in search of his hopes to find money there.
That's the only plausible reason I can think of, as to why Martin put a jar into his foundation.
You needn't bother driving over here to search the farm bldgs., a couple of years ago they were all burned to the ground, and plowed under. All that remains of the farm place is the large field of crops that cover the Farmstead.
However if you come to visit Martin & Helena's grave be forwarned that the cemetery possesses it's share of cold spots. Mind you...they may not all be caused by just Martin & Helena!
Martin and Helena Schultz's' farm borders this cemetery on the north side. In 1890 Martin was 60 yrs. old and needed to hire a farm hand to help do the chores. They had hired a transient in the area, by the name of Will Florence.
Will was not allowed to live with the couple in their home, but he could live in the old one room cabin they had originally built when they purchased the farm.
Martin didn't rust the Banks back in those days. So he had the habit of hiding all their money on the farm.
Will Florence got wind of this habit, and began to scour the out buildings looking to get rich quick. But he didn't find any money.
Growing desperate with greed Will surmised that Martin must be hiding the money in their home. Hence he was not allowed in the house.
On one fateful night Will found Helena outside near the pump churning butter. Will caved in her skull with a sledge hammer, and proceeded into the house. Where he found Martin asleep in bed. He then quickly murdered Martin with the same sledge hammer. He quickly searched the home for his ill gotten gains.
The next day neighbors discovered the murdered couple, and theorized that Will was the most likely suspect in the murders.
The Sheriff arrested Will. But lacking any evidence to tie Will to the Murders, Will was set free. And he promptly fled the County, never to be seen again.
The Sheriff surmised that Will probably had found some of the money but not all of it. The Sheriff found tucked in between the pages of Martin's Bible over $800.00. He further theorized that there was more money to be found on the place, as Martin was a successful farmer. However the Sheriff was unable to find any other other rumored monies.
A year after the Schultz's Funeral neighbors started to notice the image of a face appearing on the Schultz's Tombstone. The face was on the side of the Tombstone that faced the Schultz's farm. Area residents said the face looked just like Will Florence's face, the man thought to have murdered the couple.
It's been well over 100 yrs since their death. But you can still visit their grave and see Will's face on the side of the Tombstone facing the Schultz's farmstead.
Many years ago I had gone to the farm place, and searched the dilapidated bldgs. in hopes of finding some of the missing money. Something I'm sure had been done several times in the last 100 yrs., by others seeking Martin's fortune.
I didn't have any luck, but the odd thing was; I discovered that when Martin had poured the foundation to his barn, he had placed an old glass Mason Jar into the foundation as it was being poured. The neck of the jar protruded from the foundation.
This never made sense to me for why he would do this. A glass jar would only create a weak spot in the foundation.
Years ago, and maybe even to this day, when farmers are pouring concrete foundation they would add old warn out metal parts to equipment used on the farm. These objects would help add strength to the foundation, much like adding re-bar does.
But you wouldn't add a glass jar!
Not unless you were stuffing the jar with money through it's exposed neck. and then sealing the jar with the lid, and piling up junk around the jar. Piles of junk around a barn's foundation is common sight.
I doubt Will would have dug through a junk pile in search of his hopes to find money there.
That's the only plausible reason I can think of, as to why Martin put a jar into his foundation.
You needn't bother driving over here to search the farm bldgs., a couple of years ago they were all burned to the ground, and plowed under. All that remains of the farm place is the large field of crops that cover the Farmstead.
However if you come to visit Martin & Helena's grave be forwarned that the cemetery possesses it's share of cold spots. Mind you...they may not all be caused by just Martin & Helena!
"TT"