Logan’s Weeping Mother

The legend states—

If you say, "weepy woman, weep" the statue will cry . . .

Logan, Utah

Olif and Julia Cronquist lived in Logan, Utah at the turn of the 19th century.

Mr. Cronquist was a respected county commissioner and dairy farmer. His wife, Julia, was a devoted mother.

Tragically, only three of this couples' eight children survived until adulthood.

Within twelve years—between 1889-1901 the couple lost:

Two sets of twins, the first boys and the second girls all died at a young age in separate scarlet fever outbreaks, and the fifth child was stillborn.

Julia also contracted scarlet fever, but despite ongoing health issues connected to this illness, she survived.

Despite her husband's support, Julia was inconsolable. Friends and neighbors often saw her in the city cemetery near her children's graves sobbing.

As a result of her own bout with scarlet fever, Julia grew weaker and weaker. She also tragically died in 1914, of valvular heart disease.

Her obituary stated in part—

"a splendid woman, tender, loving, patient, and true. Bearing a great burden without complaint and always seeking the happiness and comfort of others."

Weeping Mother

In tribute, Olif had an impressive monument placed upon his wife's grave, in 1917.

This statue of a beautiful, sad woman, located at the Logan City Cemetery, is said to be haunted.

Witnesses, over the years since state that this statue is seen weeping—during full moons and on the anniversaries of Julia's children deaths—four of them in March.

Others state this statue is seen moving—looking in the direction of the various children's graves.

Another report involves the statue actually wandering around this cemetery.

One recent report mentions that a mother/daughter witnessed Julia's ghost sitting near this monument crying. She then just disappeared.

Utah State University

This cemetery is near Utah State University. Because of this legend, a sign is posted warning visitors no one is allowed in the cemetery after dark.

The Legend of La Llorona

Old Spanish song about La Llorona

Don’t go down to the river, child,

Don’t go there alone

For the sobbing woman, wet and wild,

Might claim you for her own

She weeps when the sun is murky red

She wails when the moon is old

She cries for her babies, still and dead,

Who drowned in the water cold

She seeks her children day and night,

Wandering, lost, and cold

She weeps and moans in dark and light,

A tortured, restless soul

Don’t go down to the river, child,

Don’t go there alone

For the sobbing woman, wet and wild,

Might claim you for her own

In another post, I talked about how children in New Mexico are very familiar with the La Llorona story. La Llorona is New Mexico’s most famous ghost. 

If you visit anywhere along the Rio Grande river in my state, you will encounter New Mexicans who will gladly relate their version of La Llorona. This story is told in other parts of the country, but the following story is one often told in New Mexico.

In the early 1700s, there was a young woman named Maria who lived in a small village along the Rio Grande. 

As Maria matured, she began to attract much attention in the village because she was lovely. Her family was impoverished, so her mother encouraged Maria to marry one of the local men. 

Maria with the firm self-belief that her beauty would someday attract a wealthy man refused.

One day a handsome young man rode into the village. He was the son of a rancher in Mexico. He wore tailored clothes and rode a well-groomed horse with a fancy saddle—all the signs of a man of wealth.

Maria started to follow him around, she tried to catch his eye, but he only noticed the better dressed young girls in the village. At night he would play his guitar for the locals, many young ladies swooned at his golden voice. Maria was sure her heart would break.

Then one day as Maria shopped the young rancher stopped near her. Maria blushed with embarrassment because she wore an old dirty, tattered dress. 

But her blush caught his eye, and for the first time, he noticed how beautiful she was. He began to court Maria. 

Within a short time, he had paid Maria’s father a large dowry so he could marry her. Knowing his family would not accept his marriage to a woman from a lower class—the couple settled along the Rio Grande.

Over the next several years Maria’s husband worked as a merchant along the El Camino Real, and Maria bore him three children. But as the years passed Maria and her wealthy husband grew apart. 

He spent less and less time at home, and he showed no interest in their children. Maria began to suspect that he was seeing another woman while he was away.

Maria’s suspicions were confirmed when she spotted her husband riding in a buggy with a beautiful young woman by his side. Her heart was broken. 

She exploded in a jealous rage. Distraught she thought that if only she did not have the children, her husband would love her once more. 

Rio Grand River

In a rage, she dragged her children one by one to the river and held their heads under the water until they drowned.

Her senses lost to reality; she approached her husband and told him what she had done for him. Horrified he ordered her out of his life. 

Numb she wandered the streets of the village for several days crying for her children. The villagers started to call her La Llorona—meaning the wailing woman.

Maria realized she had lost everything dear to her, so she went down to the river and cried for her children. 

She then flung herself into the river. Her body was never found. 

Another view of Rio Grande

People in New Mexico still see a woman dressed all in white walking along paths near water. They hear Maria’s desperate cries for her children and then she slowly fades away.

Many believe she is condemned to wander, weeping and searching for her children. Others believe that she is a harbinger of death—if you see her someone will die.

Leavenworth’s Mad Catherine

Like many American families in the late 19^th century the Sutler’s packed their wagon with everything they owned and left their home in Indiana hoping to make a new and better life in Oregon Territory. In the summer of 1880 they left behind everything familiar and like so many before them faced the unknown bravely.

The trail they traveled was kind at first. Early that fall they reached Leavenworth, Kansas, a major stop along the way west. They planned to stay a few extra days before taking the Oregon Trail because they had relatives at the fort.

But it was here a major tragedy befell the family--one that assured they would never go further west than Leavenworth.

As morning light welcomed their first day at the fort Mrs. Sutler was cooking breakfast as her son and daughter emerged from their tent rubbing their eyes. Without taking her eyes off the food she prepared she ordered than both to go find firewood.

The two obediently headed toward the bank of the Missouri River to do their mother’s bidding.

Catherine’s husband Hiram was making repairs on their wagon when his wife called him to breakfast. The couple waited for their children, Ethan and Mary to return but when they didn’t they started to search.

Having no luck by midday they were worried. By sundown they were desperate. Early the next morning a search party was formed to help. For the next week these searchers looked from dawn to dusk but it quickly became apparent that the Sutler’s young children had probably been swept away by the Missouri River’s rapid waters.

Hiram at first was in a state of shock. Catherine refused to believe her children were gone. She spent her days searching the fort, the cemetery, the banks of the river and the surrounding area for her children.

Old Fort Leavenworth

The locals at the fort often watched with concern as she searched. Even the dark did not prevent her quest. She was seen clutching a cloak tightly to her as she raised a lantern to light her way at night. Her shouts of “Ethan, Mary” were heard repeatedly.

Fall passed to winter and still Catherine searched. Her husband tried to reason with her stating that there was no possibility that the children were still alive but she scoffed at his attempts and replied in madness, “Can’t you hear them calling?”

As the first snow fell, Catherine weak and thin relentlessly continued. Regardless of what Hiram tried he could not dissuade her. Desperate he requested the authorities at the fort lock her up but his request came too late.

Catherine was found unconscious lying in the snow near the riverbank. Sick with a high fever she died of pneumonia shortly after. Hiram took his wagon and headed back to Indiana.

But this tragedy didn’t end here.

The following spring a soldier from Fort Leavenworth arrived at his new farm to inform him his children had been found. The children had fallen into the Missouri River and had been swept downstream many miles. A group of Fox Indians spotting them fished them out--saving their lives.

Hiram rode back to Fort Leavenworth with the soldier to reunite with his children. As they traveled he now knew Catherine had been right after all, the children were alive.

Unfortunately, this fact appears to be of little comfort to Catherine for her spirit still wanders Leavenworth and the surrounding areas in search of her children.

Countless witnesses over the years have seen her ghost walking along the banks of the Missouri River holding a lantern. She is also seen in the cemetery holding her lantern.

Her cries of, “Ethan, Mary” are still heard today.

The Trails West Golf Course was built on land that was once a farm located at the fort. Witnesses have seen Catherine's ghost on this course.

Catherine is seen wearing the clothes she wore while alive. She is described as very pale and her eyes are vacant--it seems she is still mad. Her gaze has startled more than one witness.

Ghost Stories of the Old West, Dan Asfar

Ohio’s Gore Orphanage

When aficionados of ghost stories in Ohio get together there is one story that is always mentioned--the legend of Gore’s Orphanage. This story takes place in Vermillion, Ohio. It is often listed in the top ten most popular ghost stories in Ohio.

As mentioned the story of Gore’s Orphanage is only a “legend” but at the end of this post I will share the true story of why this area might possibly be haunted.

This legend starts with a tragic fire. It is stated that a man by the name of Gore ran an orphanage in the 1800s. He didn’t particularly like children and it is stated he often abused the chargers that were entrusted to his care.

In one version of this tale Gore wanting to collect “insurance money” decides to set the orphanage on fire. He callously stands by and watches all the orphans perish in the fire.

Other tales state that it was a “disgruntled employee” of Gores who actually set the fire in order to exact revenge on his former boss. Or it is stated that the culprit was a “crazy neighbor” who was tired of all the children’s noise.

Yet another reason sometimes told is more benign in nature. It is stated that an orphan actually knocked a lantern over which set the barn on fire. Then the flames quickly spread to the orphanage’s main building.

All these versions mention that all the orphans perished in this fire.

It is stated that the neighboring townsfolk not wanting a reminder of this terrible tragedy razed the remaining burnt shells of the buildings leaving only the corner foundations.

But this tragedy was not so easily forgotten for soon after the fire the locals started whispering that at night strange activity occurred near the site where the fire occurred.

Some reported seeing the ghostly shapes of the dead children playing in the woods.

Other tales included more dramatic sightings. Witnesses stated they saw these poor orphans still on fire running and screaming for help.

Yet other sightings included tales of bright lights that were seen bobbing and weaving through the trees. Many felt these lights must be these children’s spirits.

One darker tale started to be circulated. A tall dark ominous figure was seen standing near one of the corner foundations. It was believed this figure was probably the person that was responsible for setting the orphanage on fire.

Many witnesses over the years have seen activity in this area but not for the reasons listed above.

The Gore Orphanage never existed. A road in the area is called “Gore Orphanage Road” because of two other reasons. Early surveyors named the road after a “gore” which is a word they use to denote a wedge-shaped piece of land.

Later the word “Orphanage” was added when the Orphanage of Light and Hope took ownership of the property in 1903.

Gatepost at Old Swift Mansion

A man by the name of Joseph Swift purchased the land in 1817 and over the next 20 years he built a mansion named after him. He sold this beloved mansion for financial reasons in 1874 to Nicolas and Harriet Kellogg Wilbur. Tragically, four of their great-grandchildren died in the home from diphtheria.

It was at the height of the Spiritualism movement and the Wilburs overcome with grief tried to communicate with their deceased great-grandchildren by holding a series of séances at the mansion.

In 1895 the Wilbur family sold the mansion to the Sutton family, 7 years later they sold the property to the Rev. John Sprunger in 1903 to be used as part of the Orphanage of Light and Hope that he and his wife founded.

Location of Swift Mansion
Photo: JoshH21

This orphanage closed down in 1916 and the old Swift Mansion left abandoned burnt to the ground in 1923.

It was at this time that the rumors about the hauntings started to be reported.

So children did die on the property but from diphtheria not a fire. Are the more benign ghost sighting that are seen in the area near where the Swift Mansion once stood --actually these four great-grandchildren instead?

In 1992 the old Swift mansion site and 1500 acres of the Vermillion River Valley were purchased by the Lorain County Metro Parks.

Swift Mansion