Lake Bomoseen’s Phantom Rowboat

Even the simplest unexplained activity can cause terror *, especially when the same sight is seen for over a century and a half.

Abandoned industrial site.

In the mid-1800s Castleton, Vermont was a booming mining town with several mills and a quarry.

By the early 1900s, the town had slid into a financial decline. Castleton by the early 1920s was abandoned.

In 1929, the area became Lake Bomoseen State Park. Years before this, the lake already had a firm reputation for being haunted.

Lake Bomoseen at sunset.

The cause for this was connected to three Irish quarry workers that lived in the area during its boom years.

One night, these three men rowed across the lake to visit a local tavern to celebrate and drink.

After they left this bar drunk, they were never seen again. It was believed they must have drowned in the lake, on their way home.

Their bodies were never found. But their rowboat was discovered several days later when it drifted ashore.

This incident would not be remembered today—except for the strange sight it caused.

One artist's depiction of the phantom rowboat.

Ever since the loss of these three men, witnesses have claimed to see a strange rowboat gliding across the lake—especially if there is a full moon.

The boat is described as empty and completely quiet.

People report seeing the oars rowing, but what is creepy, is they don’t see anyone in the boat. Even scarier is none of these witnesses heard a splash as the oars hit the water.

Also strange is there is no ripple on the surface of the water as the rowboat passes.

So are these three men doomed to row this boat for eternity?

*  People don’t need to experience a lot of activity for it to be frightening. 

When I was in high school, every time I was alone at home, a lamp in our den would turn on by itself. It never happened when others were there.

My family had it checked. There was not an electrical short etc. But this pattern of it happening when I was alone in the house—freaked me out.

The Bullock Hotel’s Intense Ghost

Seth Bullock
A stare that could stop a man from shooting.

In the 1990s a little boy, staying with his family in the Bullock Hotel in Deadwood, South Dakota, became lost when he was locked out of his room. A tall man, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, boots, and long mustache helped him find his way back . . .

In the late 1800s, Seth Bullock traveled to the Black Hills gold strike, with a wagon full of supplies to sell to the miners that worked in Deadwood, South Dakota.

He spent the rest of his life here as a merchant, rancher, sheriff, U.S. Marshall, and hotel owner.

At age 21, he was a Montana Territorial State Senator who played a role in establishing Yellowstone as a national park.

Main Street in Deadwood, 1876.

When he and his partner arrived in Deadwood Gulch, in 1876, he found a hell-bent, rowdy mining community.

Wild Bill Hickok was shot in the head and killed the day after he arrived.

Within a few short months, he was appointed sheriff, and with several handpicked deputies he was able to clean up the town.

Bullock was a tall, imposing man with a steely-eyed stare, who demanded respect. He was an honest and fair businessman who often solved potential violent situations with intelligence and creativity.

A territorial judge liked to tell the story of when Bullock stopped a “dangerous miners strike.” These men hadn’t been paid, so they camped out in the mine—refusing to come out.

Bullock not wanting to injure anyone dropped a “foul, smelly substance” down the airshaft. The striking miners eventually surfaced in search of fresh air.

Deadwood, Sout Dakota, 1876

He managed to keep law and order in Deadwood without ever firing a shot or killing anyone.

In 1884, riding on his ranch, Bullock ran into three rough-looking characters. One of these men was Theodore Roosevelt, the future president of the U.S.

Rough Riders

 

Bullock and Roosevelt

The two men became life-long friends, and during the Spanish-American War in 1898, Bullock enlisted as one of Roosevelt’s famous Rough Riders.

After a fire destroyed Bullock’s hardware store, on Main Street, in 1894, he and his partner Sol Star had a luxury hotel built on the site—the Bullock Hotel, which remains open today.

An early photograph of Bullock Hotel.

Seth Bullock passed away in 1919, at the age of 70.

Many eyewitness reports indicate his ghost haunts his hotel.

A long-time employee of the Bullock Hotel shares several compelling guest experiences.

Bullock photograph displayed
in the hotel.

One morning, he saw a little boy point to a photograph of Seth Bullock, that the hotel displays, and explain the following excitedly.

Dad, that is the man who helped me, last night, when you and mom went downstairs. The boy tugged on his arm, I told you I left the room to explore and got locked out. I was lost, and he approached me, he said he could help.

He led me back to our room and opened the door, without a key.

See, he has a big mustache, but he was wearing a big hat and wore cowboy boots. He pointed to the photo—“That man has the same eyes.”

This employee states this incident was the first of many that convinced him the stories about Seth Bullock haunting the hotel were true.

Working the front desk, late one night he received a frantic call from a guest staying on the second floor.

She complained, there is a dirty man out in the hallway smoking a smelly cigar—I was told there is “no smoking allowed.”

The employee asked her to describe this man. “He is tall, has a large mustache, he stared at me rudely. He is dressed like a cowboy with a large hat and boots tucked into his pants.”

There was no one of that description staying in the hotel.

The employee goes on to explain that many guests have given similar descriptions of a man they saw in this same hallway—he appears to be real . . .

In Room 211, where Seth Bullock died, guests have experienced everything from items being misplaced to objects being thrown across the room.

Room 211

Witnesses state while walking in this hallway, they heard their names whispered.

Music is heard in this area with no source and maids state they often find themselves locked out. One used a towel to keep the door propped open only to see it fly across the room.

Maid carts also move without assistance on this floor.

A reflected image
of what is believed to be
Seth Bullock.

Electrical items turn on and off in this room even when they are unplugged. Guests report they felt a “strong presence” that appeared to be watching and then later followed them.

The Bullock staff keeps a notebook in their lobby so guests can record their experiences. It is believed many other ghosts besides Bullocks remain at this hotel.

The hotel’s kitchen, bar, and basement, etc. all have had multiple incidents of unexplained activity.

Headless Outlaw of Tennessee, Part l

In the early part of the 1800s southern parents warned their children to stay on the righteous side of the law or John Murrell would eat them . . .

John Andrews Murrell

John A Murrell once was known as the most dangerous outlaw in the South. As a young boy he lived with his mother Zilpah Murrell at her tavern in Columbus, Tennessee. Some sources state she ran a brothel.

Murrell’s father was an itinerant preacher who encouraged him to be honest but it was his mother who had the greater influence upon him. Zilpah taught him to steal at an early age she also instilled in him a hate for anyone she perceived as being of the quality class—especially the religious.

By age 12, John was an accomplished thief. By age 16, he was a notorious robber who plagued travelers along the roads and trails in Williamson County—specifically along the Natchez Trace, which I write about here.

Murrell often cornered his victims by posing as a gentleman himself. His first brush with the law was when he was caught after he stole a fine mare from a widow.

He was branded in court on his thumb with the letters H.T. this stood for Horse Thief. He then was whipped, all without a noticeable flinch from him. He served a year in prison.

After this he hated people even more. He went from bad to worse.

Murrell was an accomplished con man. His appearance helped in this deception. He was tall, moved with grace and had fine boned features. His auburn curly hair attracted more than one fine lady. Murrell was a womanizer.

He was well spoken and often accepted without question into the finest homes. In contrast, he was fearless and had icy blue eyes. He also was a killer.

He often took on the guise of his father’s profession—a preacher. As he preached fire and brimstone in various churches his men where outside taking the congregations’ horses.

Murrell stealing a slave.

Good source material. 

For a while he had a lucrative business where he stole slaves. He would lure them away with a promise of freedom and then kill them. At first he would resale them, then he would steal them back but once he thought they might be recognized he killed them.

One source states he did this to 100 slaves.

He victimized people across the South from Arkansas to Louisiana. Here are two good sources about John Murrell that separate facts from fiction.

This sorted tale continues in Part ll of Headless Outlaw of Tennessee.

Headless Outlaw of Tennessee, Part ll

Portrait of Murrell
done while he
was in prison.

In the early 1800s John Andrews Murrell was the South's most notorious thief and murderer.

Despite  Murrell’s crimes he was able to maintain a respectable home in New Orleans with a wife and children. Some state his wife was actually a shady lady and just a business partner.

It was Murrell’s vanity that eventually brought him down. Virgil Stewart befriended him and played off Murrell’s self-importance. He pumped Murrell for the location of his hideouts etc. He then led the law to the outlaw in Tennessee.

In 1824, Murrell was captured. His elderly father paid his bail. He fled to Alabama where he was recaptured and returned to Tennessee for trial.

Stewart testified against him. He described Murrell as a cold-blooded killer who robbed and then killed his victims. In other instances, he stated Murrell killed people just to keep them quiet.

He testified that Murrell’s attitude was one of “all such fools should die as soon as possible.”

Murrell admitted to robbing people but stated he was not a killer. People where he lived viewed him as a sort of hero and believed him. They viewed Stewart with distaste and felt he was just trying to make money from his association with Murrell.

Stewart did write a book, entitled, The Great Western Land Pirate using the name Augusta Q. Walton, which sensationalized the facts.

Stewart's book

Despite the evidence Murrell was not hanged instead he was convicted of stealing slaves. He was sentenced to prison hard labor.

Murrell entered the penitentiary in 1834. His wife immediately divorced him. Life in prison was not easy. During an attempt to escape, he broke his leg as he jumped from a brick wall.

After this, he contracted tuberculosis. In poor health, he was pardoned after serving ten years in 1844. He was considered an old man at the age of 40. He was encouraged to move to the mountains, an environment that would help his health.

He became a respected blacksmith in Bledsoe County north of Pikeville, Tennessee. His work was greatly admired. He now was a believer and attended church on a regular basis where his bass singing voice was enjoyed by all.

But within the year his TB worsened and he died in November of 1844. Near his death he confessed to most of his crimes. He stated, “He had never killed anyone that didn’t need killing.”

But his dealings with slaves point out he was a ruthless killer. The slaves he and his men killed were disemboweled and then rocks where put in their bellies so they would sink in the swamps and rivers where their bodies were disposed of.

The locals buried him in an unmarked grave. Soon after, however, a Nashville paper noted his death and mentioned where he was buried.

Two doctors got it into their heads they wanted to study him. They dug up his body and cut off his head. They also took his thumb with the brand. Later, a young lady out picking berries discovered his body, minus his head laid out across his coffin.

These two doctors fell out and others who had a mind to make money took his head to Jasper where they charged ten cents apiece for a peep at it. The once admired outlaw now was a sideshow freak.

His head was eventually taken to Nashville and then on to Philadelphia where it was reburied in an unknown location.

Murrell's thumb

Today, his thumb is located at the Tennessee State Museum where it is taken out and put on display once a year.

The rest of John Murrell’s body was placed back in his grave at Smyrna Cemetery. After this the citizens of Bledsoe County began to believe Murrell’s soul was uneasy.

Stories circulated that after sundown a dark headless apparition was seen wandering aimlessly among the tombstones. It was thought it was Murrell looking for his head.

By the 1950s and 60s locals took up a collection—one dollar at a time—at the local drugstore. A simple marker with Murrell’s name was placed over his grave.

This act appears to have settled down this haunting.

Read more about this twisted tale in Part l, Headless Outlaw of Tennessee.