Mad Anthony: Spectral Midnight Rider

Even though ghosts are seen during the day the most dramatic sightings often are witnessed at night. Specifically, at midnight known as the witching hour.

Mad Anthony Wayne

This ghost story takes place at the witching hour in both upstate New York and Pennsylvania. After midnight one must gather their courage in these two states for many have reported seeing a spectral horse and its owner.

This ghost is Major General Mad Anthony Wayne and his horse Nancy. They are seen charging across shadowed hills and isolated roads.

Wayne was a hero during the American Revolutionary War. He got the nickname “Mad Anthony” because he took dangerous risks that exhibited a restless and daring courage.

Wayne with Nancy

His partner in this heroism was his horse Nancy. In one spot where he is seen, Storm King Pass, in 1779 he raced across the Hudson River in New York on Nancy’s back in order to warn a group of American troops that British soldiers were fast approaching.

This scene is still witnessed at midnight. People state Wayne and Nancy show no signs of fear.

In more dramatic witness accounts of this sighting it is said that white-hot orange sparks are seen flashing from Nancy’s hooves while Wayne’s dark cloak billows out behind him.

In a long standing legend it is stated Wayne’s ghost and Nancy are also seen along a road that runs between Radnor and Erie, Pennsylvania. The cause for this haunting is said to be the fact the old general is looking for some of his bones.

Old Fort on Presque Isle

These sightings occur on Presque Isle as well as at the old Wayne blockhouse in Erie.

Hooves are also heard pounding on Contestoga Road into Lancaster, along the Susquehanna River, then up the west bank to the Alleghenies all the way to the shores of Lake Erie.

It was along this route that Wayne’s remains journeyed in a wagon. The general was buried at the Old Fort on Presque Isle originally.

St. David's Episcopal churchyard.

But after his death his son, Isaac arranged to have his body dug up in 1809. He wanted his father’s remains buried at the old St. David Episcopal churchyard in Radnor—Wayne was a lifelong member of this church.

The box brought to carry his body was too small for all of Wayne’s bones so a surgeon made the decision to leave part of the bones buried at the fort. The rest were placed in this box and carried in a wagon across what was then still a wilderness.

The road to Radnor was rough and bumpy. It is said several of the bones fell out of the box and were left where they lay.

Waynes grave in Radnor.

What remained of Wayne’s body at the end of this journey was then reinterred at Old St. David’s churchyard.

The legend states that since Wayne’s body was disturbed and several of his bones were lost he still haunts this route looking for his missing bones.

His ghost is seen most often at midnight on New Years Day—this was Wayne’s birthday. Witnesses state they hear Mad Anthony whistling for Nancy his faithful horse and then her hooves are heard pounding across the rough landscape.

Can Animals Return as Ghosts?

“If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans. You’ve nothing to worry about there.”

Alf Wright
aka
James Herriot

The above quote is a response given by the late British author, and veterinarian James Herriot, when he addressed the question of whether or not animals have souls, and could experience an afterlife.

His response was received with appreciation from people all over the world. Herriot was one of the first well-known animal lovers to address this topic.

If you believe the above, then the possibility exists that some animals do indeed return in ghostly form.

A popular post on this blog is about “Ghost Cats” and the intriguing video my group caught of a “possible” ghost cat. I received many positive responses to this post through email and in person.

This topic is close to many people’s hearts.

Numerous witnesses over the years have seen what they feel are deceased pets come back to visit.

A good book about this topic is Ghostly Animals of America written by Patricia Edwards Clyne.

Many people have seen the ghosts of animals over the years--not all of them former pets. The following story is an unusual one.

There is a busy intersection in Cook County in a suburb of Chicago. Until recently, this intersection did not have a traffic light. The speed limit in the area is 45 mph, but cars often drive through this intersection going 50 mph plus.

Drivers especially at night, have trouble seeing this intersection because there is a rise, which blocks their view until they actually cross it.

A riding stable is located near this intersection. This stable has extensive wooded riding paths, and one of these paths crosses this intersection.

Unfortunately, because of this dangerous intersection, more than one rider has been injured or killed at dusk or at night, when a car has hit them while they crossed this road. Several horses have been killed in these accidents, as well.

Drivers along this road have reported seeing a strange phenomenon. They see what appears to be a “smoke grey silhouette of a horse and rider.” Neither figure has distinguishable features. They are most often seen right in the middle of the road.

This strange duo is seen at night, crossing the intersection. Some have reported that they saw this horse and rider appear in front of their cars suddenly, but as they slowed down, this “silhouette” just faded away.

Other grisly reports state that drivers have actually seen one of these accidents, reenacted in this intersection. These accounts include witnesses seeing a rider being thrown from their saddle, and then just disappear. Others state they actually saw a fallen horse dragged by a car until it came to a complete stop. 

East Tennessee Ghost Folklore

Old Apple Tree
Alexander Koltakov

Randy Russell and Janet Barnett in their book entitled, The Granny Curse, present a wonderful collection of ghost folklore from East Tennessee. * 

These legends have been passed down from one generation to the next for well over 200 years. They are some of the most entertaining I have ever read.

One of my favorite stories in this collection is entitled Growly Apples. This story is based upon an old superstitious belief that that the oldest apple tree in a mountain hollow is always haunted.

This tale is about a boisterous loud-mouthed man by the name of Sud. 

One Sunday afternoon after church, he is showing off for “the children” with various apple tricks when he catches half an apple in his mouth that he threw up in the air. Unfortunately, this large apple then lodged in his throat, and he chokes to death.

His family buries him in his favorite spot in the yard and promptly moves away. A few years later, his widow, who has remarried visits his grave to find the marker they placed on it is gone, and instead, a young apple tree stands in its place.

She informs the new owners that the roots of this tree probably grew right out of his mouth and eye sockets being as he was buried with the fruit still stuck in his throat.

When this tree matured several years later, the new owners soon discovered that if they picked apples from this tree, it would growl day and night until they returned the apples they chose to the ground under it. 

The apples themselves would growl and if anyone dared to eat one of them, their stomach would growl non-stop.

Sud’s old cabin is gone now but tourists today claim that this old apple tree still stands and people always hear it growling if they pick its fruit. It is said that if they are smart, they know they have encountered a ghost.

Another story from this collection I really like is about a “ghost horse.” This story is entitled, Ghost in the Fireplace.

An Irishman named Higgins, and his horse, named Cloud are inseparable.  But unfortunately,  a man who lives in a filthy shack on a nearby mountaintop murders him for his fine stallion. 

Cloud then tries to take revenge on the man who murdered his master.

An old belief in Tennessee is that if a person hears the crackle and pop in a fireplace, it is Satan snapping his fingers. After hearing this, one must be careful the house doesn’t burn down.

For years after this murder, people who lived in this mountaintop shack claimed they saw a shocking sight--Cloud’s thunderous hooves would be heard then he would emerge right out of the fireplace in search of his beloved master’s killer.

One of my all-time favorite ghost blogs is written by Fairweather Lewis. He has an interesting summary of the above story--which he calls, “Cloud Walks” on his blog. Click on the link to read it. Fairweather doesn't write anymore.

* Russell and Barnett’s book, The Granny Curse is available on Amazon.