Written by Kristina Estle, President of the History Detectives of Belmont County
Who would have guessed that Belmont County housed so many haunted sites!?
Recently, Anthony Atkins, Director of Belmont County GIS, in collaboration with Belmont County Tourism, created a virtual tour of Belmont County’s most chillingly haunted sites. Visit the new website Haunted Hills of Belmont County: Ghostly Legends and Lore Trail. In this blog, we are going to examine some of the listed sites on this spooky, haunted historical analysis featuring dark, sad, and chilling tales deep within Belmont County’s history.
Site 1: The Burial Site for Louiza Fox (Egypt Valley)
Though I have yet to visit her grave, as I travel Rt. 108 on my way home, especially at night, I can’t help feeling a chill. Louiza Fox was only thirteen years old when she was murdered in 1869 by Thomas Carr, a coal miner. Thomas, 22 years of age at the time, was courting Louiza. The murder occurred in Egypt Valley. The ghost of Louiza Fox haunts the murder site and the place where her body is buried, in Salem Cemetary. It also has been said that Carr’s ghost has been spotted at the place where he murdered Louiza. Carr was a violent man, with drinking tendencies. He had formerly served as a Union Army Soldier. The murder occurred on January 21st when he attacked Louiza, who had been walking with her brother. Carr sent her brother on, while he slit her throat and stabbed her 14 times. Located on Starkey Road is a plaque commemorating the event. Carr was hung in 1870, and just before the hanging occurred, he admitted to murdering 14 others.
Site 2: Old Egypt Cemetery, Salem Semetary, Egypt Valley
It is said that “ devil” dogs haunt the Old Egypt (Circle) Cemetery, and can be heard howling in the woods at nighttime. The cemetery also contains the remains of witches. The lore goes that if someone walks around the cemetery six times, they will disappear. I do not recommend that you try this. The cemetery also houses a truck driver who was tragically killed in a crash and lost his arm. The arm was never recovered. So if you sit quietly and listen, you may hear the sounds of tapping fingernails on the marble gravestones.
Site 3: The Darkness on Church Street (Barnesville)
In a book written by Guy McCort, he tells a horrifying story about how a family lived in a home and experienced poltergeist activities. Many strange occurrences took place between the years 1970- 2000. Four murders had taken place in this house located on Church Street. An ax murderer had also lived there and had been known to perform macabre rituals. You can watch Guy McCort’s The Darkness on Church Street on YouTube (for adult audiences).
Site 4: Lady Bend Hill
In 1833, a young woman, who came from a wealthy family in Wheeling, decided to flee in the middle of the night to meet her lover in Fairview. She had taken Zane’s Trace, now National Road (Rt. 40), when lightning struck, spooking her horse. She was thrown from the coach when it crashed. Some say that she was caught in the wagon spokes, and some say that she was caught in the horse’s reigns. People say that on stormy nights if you travel to Lady Bend Hill, you can see her headless body riding a wild horse.
Site 5: The Former Belmont County Jail and Sheriff’s Residence
On a personal note, I can add that I have had the chance to step into this place, (the Sheriff’s Residence is now the Belmont County Heritage Museum) and I had a very chilling encounter. I am not one who believes in ghosts, nor will I go on ghost chases, but I cannot deny the heavy presence in this place. As I stepped into the former Belmont County Jail, I knew at once I was not wanted there. I felt a very painful clenching in my chest and it radiated throughout my limbs.
The building is 134 years old, the sheriff and his family once lived there. Attached to the residence is the three-story jail that had jail which has 36 beds. The jail operated until its close in 1996. Several inmates had committed suicide there and at one point arson had been committed. There were also two prison breaks.
Site 6: The Chair at Scotch Ridge Cemetery
Outside of Martins Ferry is the famous Scotch Ridge Cemetery. The tombstone of Thomas and Jane Mitchell has the inscription: I Samuel 20:18, ‘You will be missed because your seat will be empty’. On the other side of this tombstone is an engraving that reads, ‘Meet me in heaven.’ The legend behind this tombstone grew and the local lore was that if you sat in this chair for an amount of time, you would die. Many youths who had passed were thought to have sat in this chair.
Site 7: The Rothermund Haunting
German immigrants, Augustus and Hannah Rothermund had bought a two-story home in Martins Ferry. It is believed that a ghost, presumably Augustus, haunted the house. He would play the organ, move objects, and cause doors to fly open and shut. These occurrences seemed to have been targeted towards women. Families generations on would flee the house. Mrs. Ribold, the wife of a tenant, fled the house with her infant on January 23, 1890, it is said that she was too frightened to speak. The house became a local attraction. It was later demolished to make way for Rt. 7.
Other sites include:
The Bellaire House
The Belmont County Casket Company
Week’s Cemetery
Butter Milk Road
Frozen Spirit of Black Oak Road
Belmont County Sanatorium
Zane Mansion
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