Famous Curses Through History, Part ll

The Cursed Wedding

Maria Vittoria

Maria Vittoria del Pozzo, the sixth Princess della Cisterna, is said to have had a cursed wedding.

When Prince Amedeo of Savoy announced he was going to wed Maria, his father, King Vidor Emmanuel ll of Italy was against the marriage.

The main reason for this was he felt his son could make a better match. After all, Maria was a mere Duchess consort without a royal birth.

Despite his father’s objections, Prince Amedeo married Maria in May of 1867. Their wedding day, at every turn, was doomed and many connected to it appeared to be cursed.

Prince Amedeo

The morning of the wedding the bridal party discovered the woman who was responsible for the wedding dress had committed suicide--she hanged herself.

Maria being superstitious chose another gown to wear.

As the bridal party made its way from the palace to the church, the colonel that was chosen to lead the procession fell off his horse and died of sunstroke.

With his replacement, the party continued, but the palace gates for some reason would not open. When the gatekeeper was sent for he was found dead in a pool of blood.

Immediately after the wedding, the best man toasted the wedding party by shooting himself in the head.

The party then left for the train station but once at they arrived the man who drafted the marriage contract had internal bleeding in the brain and died.

After this, the stationmaster was pulled under the wedding carriage or “car” and died. This brought the death total to 5.

The King now worried about the cost of all these funerals and not wanting anything else to happen, demanded everyone return to the palace.

As the wedding party exited the train the Count of Castiglione also got pulled under the wedding carriage, the medallion that he wore was crushed into his body--stabbing him in the heart.

This couple lived together for the next ten years. Maria died at the age of 29 during childbirth.

The Forever 27 Club Curse

Amy Winehouse is the latest talented musician who died young becoming a member of this club in 2011.

Members of the 27 club are famous, talented musicians who all died at the age of 27.

The 27 Forever Club

This curse supposedly started with Robert Johnson who died in 1938 at the age of 27. Vicious rumors stated that he made a pact with the Devil so that he could make “great music.”

Robert Johnson

Johnson is credited with inventing the Blues.

Since it is said, others have fallen “unaware” to this curse. Among these include Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, and Jim Morrison--whose ghost I write about here.

All these artists made a difference in each of their generations.

Jones drowned in a pool, Hendrix was asphyxiated by his own vomit, Joplin and Morrison both died of drug overdoses, and Cobain shot himself in the face.

Another recent musician who fell victim to this curse and died at the age of 27 was Lily Tembo. She was a famous artist in Zambia. She died in 2009.

In Part l of Famous CursesThrough History read about two other curses, one involving a disturbed tomb and another about a disturbed grave.

A Tragic Chivaree

This odd but popular custom of giving a newly married couple a chivaree originated in parts of rural France.

It was brought to North America by French Canadians and then spread into the lower 48--specifically in the rural areas of the Appalachian South.

Originally a chivaree * was given to scare off “evil spirits.” It was also an excuse to have some fun.

A chivaree was a noisy celebration done by friends and family of a newly married couple. It took place on the same day as the wedding.

Sometimes a chivaree was an old fashioned wedding reception but more often they were done after the wedding reception--usually around midnight.

A large boisterous crowd would gather outside the couple’s home and would make as much noise as possible. They would sing, play musical instruments, yell, bang on pots and pans and set off firecrackers etc.

The newlyweds’ windows and doors were banged and knocked on until the couple came out. Then the two were separated.

The bridegroom was often placed on a greased fence rail and paraded through the community. This was to “honor” the bride’s choice in a husband.

Then the bridegroom was tied to tree--to allow him to cool down--before he was allowed to return home.

This custom was no longer observed by the mid 20^th century--around the end of WWll.

In their book entitled, Kentucky Hauntings Roberta Simpson Brown and Lonnie E. Brown tell the story of one Kentucky chivaree that went terribly wrong.

This tragedy resulted in a haunting that lasted for years.

The Beginning

One fine June day, deep in the Kentucky hills Nellie Crenshaw married her childhood sweetheart, Jeff Barnes.

Their beautiful wedding in the small community church fulfilled a dream that Nellie had cherished for years.

After the wedding the couple went to the home their relatives had built for them. The afternoon passed quietly and the two had a nice supper.

Both had heard whispers about a chivaree so Nellie made cookies and a pot of coffee in anticipation of their visitors.

Jeff who was not as enthusiastic was determined to be a “good sport.” But he just wanted to get it over with.

It wasn’t long before they heard a rowdy crowd outside. The noisemakers stopped long enough to serenade the couple with Let Me Call You Sweetheart.

As the last notes were sung Jeff was grabbed and placed on a split rail from a fence. He offered the expected resistance but then went along with their prank.

A group of men, with the crowd cheering and shouting them on took him into the nearby woods and loosely tied him to a tree. Jeff could hear music and laughter at his house where the reception party was underway.

The men turned to leave but Jeff shouted, “You can’t leave me here like this. You know a bear has been spotted in these woods just two days ago.” Come on. You have had your fun, but it is dangerous. Now untie me!”

The smaller group laughed and just ignored his plea. They had heard about the bear sighting but they didn’t believe Jeff was in any danger.

They then joined the party back at the house.

The End

Within a few minutes they heard terrifying screams coming from the woods.

“Help, Help me?” It was Jeff’s voice.

“For God’s sake, somebody help me!”

The group headed for the woods. They saw a big bear leave the clearing as they entered the area were Jeff was tied.

What lay before them was shocking. Jeff lay still, he was mauled and bleeding. As they drew close they saw they were too late. He was already dead.

The community that had just celebrated a joyous wedding was now gathered, filled with an unbearable grief, for Jeff’s funeral.

Nellie lived with her parents for a time but everything reminded her of her dead husband. She moved away to live with an aunt and never returned.

Frightful Sounds

Appalachian Mountains

Their house remained empty and it eventually fell into ruin.

But people came to believe that it was not deserted. On every anniversary of the wedding and chivaree they heard laughter and singing coming from the home.

These sounds were followed by heart-wrenching screams coming from the nearby woods.

Hunters that ventured into these woods near the anniversary stated they heard a growl and felt cold chills. They never saw the bear but they claimed they felt it stalking them.

As the years passed people were so disturbed by this activity that Nellie’s father tore the house down. But the activity continued.

Stories are still circulated about the odd sounds heard in the woods and near the spot where Nellie and Jeff’s home once stood.

After this tragedy, people in this community stopped celebrating weddings with a chivaree.

* Chivaree or “rough music” is sometimes spelled, shivaree. This celebration was also sometimes called a charivari.

Haunted Object--The Wedding Dress

Although most people associate hauntings with buildings, spirits can also attach to objects. 

In other posts, I have shared information about-- Haunted Mirrors, a Haunted Doll called Annabelle, a haunted portrait at Shirley Plantation and recently, The Scorched Bed. In future posts, I will share more stories about objects that are haunted.

The Wedding Dress

Baker Mansion Museum

In 1849, Anna Baker was the third child of a wealthy family who lived in Altoona, Pennsylvania. She had the misfortune to fall in love with a worker without means. 

Her father, Elias Baker, who made his fortune as an ironmaster, refused to give his consent for the two to marry. He then used his power and influence to have this man kicked out of Altoona.

Anna angry refused to marry anyone else. As the years passed, she became a bitter old maid. When she died in 1914 she was still living in the family home.

Before her father’s refusal, in happier times, Anna had picked out a beautiful wedding gown that she intended to wear at her wedding. Within the year another Altoona debutante, Elizabeth Dysart * then bought this gown. She gloated for she knew Anna had hoped to wear it.

Years later, this wedding dress was given to the Blair County Historical Society, who eventually donated it to a local museum. This museum is housed in what was once the Baker home.

This gown is displayed in a large glass case in a second-floor room that was the dressing room off Anna Baker’s bedroom.

Witnesses have seen this dress move of its own accord--especially during full moons.

People have seen this gown swaying from side to side. One witness stated it is as if a bride is holding this gown out in front of them as they admire it in a mirror.

The dress has also been seen shaking violently to the point where staff feared the glass case would shatter and harm the old gown. **

Investigators have searched for a draft in this room or any other possible cause, but nothing has been found to explain why this dress moves.

Some feel this dress moves because Anna Baker has just reclaimed what was supposed to be hers.

* Elizabeth Dysart’s maiden name was “Bell” her father was also an early Altoona ironmaster.

** According to the museum, the dress is no longer on permanent display because of deterioration caused by exposure to sunlight and air pollutants. But one has to wonder if this is the real reason.

Here is a brief summary of the history of the Baker family.