Ghost visiting The Mohawk Valley

The Mohawk Valley seems to have had its share of tragedy and the spirits there feel as if it is their responsibility to continue  to reminding everyone. 

Printed on Thursday the 8th of February 1872 in the Schenectady Reflector out of Schenectady, New York

GHOSTS IN THE MOHAWK VALLEY – A HANGED DARKEY AND A MURDERED PEDDLER – A DESERTED WIFE.

 – A correspondent, writing to the Troy Times, from Johnstown, gives the following account of several haunted houses in the valley of the Mohawk: “ There have been several haunted houses in the valley of the Mohawk and also in the vicinity of this place, and I have often thought that something should be said on the subject. There was a house in the village which many years ago had the reputation of being haunted by a negro, who had been hanged here and afterward dissected by the village surgeon. The house where this was done was thence afterward occupied by the ghost of this unfortunate darkey which hovered in the garret where the body had been cut up. Noises also might have been heard like the sawing of human bones, which was very annoying to all who heard them. The ghost, however, never cid any damage, but only seemed of a discontented turn, as though things went all with him; but they got worse instead of better, for the house was afterward pulled dozn and the ghost was turned out of doors, and never again heard of. There are several haunted houses on the Mohawk turnpike which have had a first class set of ghosts. Some of these are the old taverns which once filled with guests when the traveling was done with stage coaches. But they stand forlorn and empty now, with the exception at least of some rooms which a tenant may occupy. One of these is haunted by a peddler who was murdered there about sixty years ago, and he is often heard going round with is pack on his back, and trying to escape form a fierce looking man with a butcher knife in his hand. The Mohawk turnpike is full of old associations, and some of these are suggested by the rates of toll which are still seen at the old guesthouses where “stages” and six-horse teams are quoted, and also wagons “with broad tyre,” etc., all of which refer to the days when both traveling and freighting were done by teams, and when this road was crowded with business. There are in this valley tow old churches built before the Revolution, and one of them is said to be haunted. I will not mention in print which is this particular one, but the ghost is that of and old dominie who was half starved by his congregation, and was finally frozen to death while going round trying to collect his salary, which was payable in a large degree sourcrout. The ghost never appears on Sunday, but in stormy weather it may be herd rolling a keg of sourcout up and down the aisles, and blessing the society in Germany for its liberality. There is also a haunted house not far from Amsterdam, which is spooked by a pretty Dutch girl who fell in love with a handsome stage driver, and her parents opposed their marriage. This driver was the son of a great family in New York, but was wild and would not do anything steadily (except drink,) and hence he was left to shirk for himself. He drove a fine team and a handsome coach, and was a great favorite. The girl clopped with him, and of course they lived unhappily. She returned to her father, but he would not receive her, and after that she was found drowned, but whether accidentally or intentionally is not known. She appears about Christmas and New Year, and has a sweet and pleasant look, but always is anxious as though waiting to hear the coachman’s horn, and she wears hat and cloak like one ready to travel off at a moment’s notice.”