Kawartha Settlers' Village
Bobcaygeon, Ont
August 21, 2021
**Warning – This story may contain information that is sensitive to our readers. Please note that we have taken the highest level of respect when writing this story**
“I lived up here for how long and I didn’t even know this place existed,” Rachel stated as they drove around the bends on Highway 36 to the location that they would be investigating that evening. “I only realized it existed when I went to Service Ontario a few years ago and see their ghost tour advertised,” she laughed. Highway 36 to Bobcaygeon is full of bends and the odd horse and buggy (the area is home to Mennonite families), but it was familiar to Rachel, and she knew her way like the back of her hand. As Rachel drove through the town, they finally came upon the neatly tucked away pioneer village that would host them for the evening.
Kawartha Settlers’ Village was established in 1990. The property belonging to the Murphy family, who settled in the area in the 1860s, was once a thriving dairy farm. Today the property is home to 20 historic homes and buildings from the area. Kawartha Settlers’ Village goal to preserve the history and culture of the Bobcaygeon area is very much alive and thriving throughout the village.
When we arrived, we had a few locations of interest already mapped out for our evening, however we thought we would tour the whole village before hand and let Lisa see what she could uncover during our walk about.
We met our lovely hosts for the evening, Robyn, and her sister Rachel. They would be able to provide us with further history and insight into things we may uncover. They also could share the stories and experiences of other staff, guests and themselves. We gathered our equipment and headed into the Henderson House, as this would be our base for the evening. We also had a special guest with us this evening. Cody, a student at the Toronto Film School, was joining us to get some field experience and research to help him further his studies in film production. Cody would be our camera operator and immerse himself and learn how a paranormal team operates during an investigation. He was quick to learn that it is not what is depicted on television and requires many hours of research and investigating, and that many experiences are personal and not captured on camera, audio or other equipment. We hooked Lisa up to her audio recorder and set off on our location tour. Our first stop was the Duggan House.
Kawartha Settlers’ Village was established in 1990. The property belonging to the Murphy family, who settled in the area in the 1860s, was once a thriving dairy farm. Today the property is home to 20 historic homes and buildings from the area. Kawartha Settlers’ Village goal to preserve the history and culture of the Bobcaygeon area is very much alive and thriving throughout the village.
When we arrived, we had a few locations of interest already mapped out for our evening, however we thought we would tour the whole village before hand and let Lisa see what she could uncover during our walk about.
We met our lovely hosts for the evening, Robyn, and her sister Rachel. They would be able to provide us with further history and insight into things we may uncover. They also could share the stories and experiences of other staff, guests and themselves. We gathered our equipment and headed into the Henderson House, as this would be our base for the evening. We also had a special guest with us this evening. Cody, a student at the Toronto Film School, was joining us to get some field experience and research to help him further his studies in film production. Cody would be our camera operator and immerse himself and learn how a paranormal team operates during an investigation. He was quick to learn that it is not what is depicted on television and requires many hours of research and investigating, and that many experiences are personal and not captured on camera, audio or other equipment. We hooked Lisa up to her audio recorder and set off on our location tour. Our first stop was the Duggan House.
Duggan House
John and Ellen Duggan arrived in Canada in 1835 with 3 young daughters in tow. The family purchased this house in 1851 and raised their 11 children. Sadly, one of their daughters would pass away before the family moved to their new home, and within the 15 years that followed, two other daughters would also die at a young age. In the 1860’s, the Duggan’s would go on to purchase the lot adjacent to their homestead, where they eventually built a new home. The log cabin was then used to house the hired help for their farm land.
“Is there a George?” asked Lisa. “Is this where George is from?” she questioned. The team stood outside of the Duggan house, waiting for Robyn to unlock the door. The team entered the house and Lisa was immediately taken back. “This was not…” Lisa trailed off. “This was not what?” asked Rachel. “This was not how it was like,” Lisa clarified. As we made our way throughout the rooms, Lisa was beginning to have a hard time breathing. “I am having a very hard time breathing in this house,” she stated. “A very, very hard time.” Robyn agreed and shares how she also feels the same way when she enters the house, and when she spends any amount of time inside. “I feel like I’m suffocating,” said Lisa. “Did someone die in this house from suffocating?” she asked. Robyn was unsure. “Tuberculosis would make you feel that way,” said Alison. “I feel like there is a George here,” Lisa said adamantly. Lisa wandered around the living room area. “Did they have six children?” she asked. “Six of many,” replied Rachel. “Did they all live?” she asked next. “In this house?” Rachel asked her. Lisa nodded. “One passed away before they moved in,” said Rachel. “Was one of them three?” questioned Lisa. “Umm, no,” Rachel replied. “There is a three-year-old connected to the property,” stated Lisa. Lisa didn’t get very far before she stopped again to ask another question. “Is there six girls and six boys?” she asked. Rachel had to look through her notes and counted. “Six and Six,” she replied. Lisa giggled. “They were busy people. The winters were cold,” she joked. “And there is no George?” she asked. Rachel shook her head no. “It could be a middle name that they went by,” she said. “There is definitely a George,” added Lisa. Lisa made her way back to the kitchen area and proceeded to place her hand on the wall. “Who had breathing issues?” she asked. “When I touch the wall, I feel like I am suffocating,” she stated. “One of their kids did die of pneumonia,” Rachel added. “But 3 passed right in a row and I don’t know their causes of death, “she continued. Lisa shuffled a bit. “Why does 54 have significance?” she asked. “Year or age?” Rachel quizzed. “Year,” answered Lisa. “1854,” she added. “Nothing that I know of,” Rachel said. Robyn was unsure as well. “Did this house come from East of Peterborough?” Lisa asked next. Robyn stated that the house was within the township and that it was originally located nearby. “They’re saying East of Peterborough,” Lisa said. “Do you know where this family moved from?” she asked next. “Ireland,” answered Rachel. “Ok, they are saying East,” Lisa stated. “Well they did move here in the 1830’s and bought this house in the 1850’s so there is a 20-year gap,” said Rachel. “Ok,” said Lisa. It was at this point that Lisa felt that she had to remove herself from the location as it was getting harder and harder to breath. We decided that it was time to move on to the next location.
John and Ellen Duggan arrived in Canada in 1835 with 3 young daughters in tow. The family purchased this house in 1851 and raised their 11 children. Sadly, one of their daughters would pass away before the family moved to their new home, and within the 15 years that followed, two other daughters would also die at a young age. In the 1860’s, the Duggan’s would go on to purchase the lot adjacent to their homestead, where they eventually built a new home. The log cabin was then used to house the hired help for their farm land.
“Is there a George?” asked Lisa. “Is this where George is from?” she questioned. The team stood outside of the Duggan house, waiting for Robyn to unlock the door. The team entered the house and Lisa was immediately taken back. “This was not…” Lisa trailed off. “This was not what?” asked Rachel. “This was not how it was like,” Lisa clarified. As we made our way throughout the rooms, Lisa was beginning to have a hard time breathing. “I am having a very hard time breathing in this house,” she stated. “A very, very hard time.” Robyn agreed and shares how she also feels the same way when she enters the house, and when she spends any amount of time inside. “I feel like I’m suffocating,” said Lisa. “Did someone die in this house from suffocating?” she asked. Robyn was unsure. “Tuberculosis would make you feel that way,” said Alison. “I feel like there is a George here,” Lisa said adamantly. Lisa wandered around the living room area. “Did they have six children?” she asked. “Six of many,” replied Rachel. “Did they all live?” she asked next. “In this house?” Rachel asked her. Lisa nodded. “One passed away before they moved in,” said Rachel. “Was one of them three?” questioned Lisa. “Umm, no,” Rachel replied. “There is a three-year-old connected to the property,” stated Lisa. Lisa didn’t get very far before she stopped again to ask another question. “Is there six girls and six boys?” she asked. Rachel had to look through her notes and counted. “Six and Six,” she replied. Lisa giggled. “They were busy people. The winters were cold,” she joked. “And there is no George?” she asked. Rachel shook her head no. “It could be a middle name that they went by,” she said. “There is definitely a George,” added Lisa. Lisa made her way back to the kitchen area and proceeded to place her hand on the wall. “Who had breathing issues?” she asked. “When I touch the wall, I feel like I am suffocating,” she stated. “One of their kids did die of pneumonia,” Rachel added. “But 3 passed right in a row and I don’t know their causes of death, “she continued. Lisa shuffled a bit. “Why does 54 have significance?” she asked. “Year or age?” Rachel quizzed. “Year,” answered Lisa. “1854,” she added. “Nothing that I know of,” Rachel said. Robyn was unsure as well. “Did this house come from East of Peterborough?” Lisa asked next. Robyn stated that the house was within the township and that it was originally located nearby. “They’re saying East of Peterborough,” Lisa said. “Do you know where this family moved from?” she asked next. “Ireland,” answered Rachel. “Ok, they are saying East,” Lisa stated. “Well they did move here in the 1830’s and bought this house in the 1850’s so there is a 20-year gap,” said Rachel. “Ok,” said Lisa. It was at this point that Lisa felt that she had to remove herself from the location as it was getting harder and harder to breath. We decided that it was time to move on to the next location.
The School House
Our next stop was the School House. This was unexpected as it was not on our radar, but Lisa was drawn to it. Built in the early 1900s it was once part of a cottage that was located on Sturgeon Lake. It was restored as a pioneer school house, utilizing furniture and materials from local schools that were no longer in existence.
Rachel, Lisa and Sheena entered the School house and the sensations were felt almost immediately. “Can you feel the vibration in this building?” Lisa enthusiastically asked. “I can,” Rachel said. “My knees feel like they are shaking,” she added. “They are showing me different. Like more benches,” said Lisa. She scanned the room, but the sensation was drawing her to focus on it. “I can’t believe the vibration in here,” she exclaimed. “Yes, like an electricity,” said Rachel. “I can feel in through my knees,” she added. Lisa was quiet for a brief moment. “Miss Catherine,” she blurted out. “Though first there was a male teacher,” she added. “A Jonathan?” she questioned. Robyn was unable to validate her. “There is also a parent,” she added. As she stood at the front of the room, you could see her eyes shifting from side to side. “Was this only a school house? Or did they use it for more than that?” asked Lisa. Robyn agrees that in the past it could have been used as a small gathering space. “Like for church services,” added Lisa. “I’m seeing more benches and pews,” she added. Lisa’s eyes then fixated to the back corner of the room. “This may seem silly, but that isn’t the original spot for the wood stove,” she said. Robyn did agree that it was not the original spot. “Back in the dt it would be more towards the back middle, to radiate heat,” said Rachel. “Yes, I see it more to the back in the middle,” added Lisa. After a few more minutes, Lisa felt that the building had told her everything it wanted us to know. We headed towards the next building that called out to Lisa.
The Kimble House.
Originally located on County Road 49, it was constructed around 1865 on a piece of property owned by Roseman “Ross” Kimble. The house was then rented/loaned to his son, Levi, at a much later date. Research shows that Levi was previous married to a lady named Martha Nichols. Levi and Martha had 10 children, the youngest being only 3 years old when Martha died of Typhoid Fever (1918). Levi would eventual remarry a woman (15 years younger than him), five years later in 1923. Levi and his second wife, Elizabeth, lived in the house where they raised their 6 children. In 1960 the house was moved to a location on Highway 36, just south of Bobcaygeon, where it was renovated and had an addition added to it. In 2011, the house was then moved to the Village where it now calls home.
“Right away, seven,” Lisa said as she entered the house. “Either seven in the family or 7 children,” she added. The team had now fully entered the old home. “Is there an upstairs?” Lisa asked. Robyn told her yes and pointed to where the stairs were. “Okay, I knew there was,” Lisa chuckled. Lisa and Rachel made their way up the stairs to the second floor. “There is something with seven,” Lisa kept repeating. “Is Stewart connected?” she asked next. “Not that I know of,” replied Rachel. Lisa tried to connect more to his energy. “His energy isn’t strong. I can barely hear him,” she said. “He’s the Father?” she questioned. “Not the original. But I only have info on one family. Not sure who many have lived here after,” Rachel said. Lisa shrugged and continued to look around the upper floor. “I feel like this was not two separate rooms,” she said. “There were several beds here though. Like three or four,” she added. Lisa continued to stare off into the one room. “There is something with stomach issues. Like I am going to vomit,” she said. “Steven? Stevenson? Connected to this house?” she questioned next. “Not that I know of,” Rachel answered. “I feel like there is a William, Jane,” added Lisa. “Yes, there is a William. No Jane. At least not in my notes,” replied Rachel. Feeling like the energy had shifted, Lisa and Rachel headed back down stairs to the main level. “There was a rocking chair right here,” said Lisa, as she pointed to the one corner. “The table was here,” she said, pointing to the middle of the room. “I get a weird feeling that something about by the stairs was used for punishment,” Alison said. Lisa agreed. Lisa also felt that the room was off. “I don’t know if this room was here. I don’t think it was,” she said. “Like it was an add-on?” asked Alison. “Like they put it in, I feel like,” said Lisa. “Do you think the family added it or after?” questioned Alison. “After the family,” replied Lisa. “Like this was wide open,” she added. “The stairs aren’t in the original spot either,” she continued. The team then exited the building and asked Robyn if the original lay out of the house had changed over time. Robyn says that the room was an add-on, the main level was one giant room and that the stairs were not in their original spot. “There was a bedroom where the stairs are,” Lisa said. Robyn agreed that it was highly probably that there was.
The team made their way to the next building, but Mother Nature had other things in mind. A quick down pour of rain saw the team huddled under a giant tree outside of the Church. The large branches and full leaves made it the perfect spot to remain dry. “Was that church a town hall too?” asked Lisa. Robyn agreed that it was more than likely used in that fashion, as many old churches were back in the day. “Have people seen people in the window of the church?” Lisa asked next. Robyn was unsure as she had not heard of any experiences reported of that nature. “People have,” replied Lisa. The quick down pour had now subsided and we were now able to make our way to the next house of interest – The Wray House.
Our next stop was the School House. This was unexpected as it was not on our radar, but Lisa was drawn to it. Built in the early 1900s it was once part of a cottage that was located on Sturgeon Lake. It was restored as a pioneer school house, utilizing furniture and materials from local schools that were no longer in existence.
Rachel, Lisa and Sheena entered the School house and the sensations were felt almost immediately. “Can you feel the vibration in this building?” Lisa enthusiastically asked. “I can,” Rachel said. “My knees feel like they are shaking,” she added. “They are showing me different. Like more benches,” said Lisa. She scanned the room, but the sensation was drawing her to focus on it. “I can’t believe the vibration in here,” she exclaimed. “Yes, like an electricity,” said Rachel. “I can feel in through my knees,” she added. Lisa was quiet for a brief moment. “Miss Catherine,” she blurted out. “Though first there was a male teacher,” she added. “A Jonathan?” she questioned. Robyn was unable to validate her. “There is also a parent,” she added. As she stood at the front of the room, you could see her eyes shifting from side to side. “Was this only a school house? Or did they use it for more than that?” asked Lisa. Robyn agrees that in the past it could have been used as a small gathering space. “Like for church services,” added Lisa. “I’m seeing more benches and pews,” she added. Lisa’s eyes then fixated to the back corner of the room. “This may seem silly, but that isn’t the original spot for the wood stove,” she said. Robyn did agree that it was not the original spot. “Back in the dt it would be more towards the back middle, to radiate heat,” said Rachel. “Yes, I see it more to the back in the middle,” added Lisa. After a few more minutes, Lisa felt that the building had told her everything it wanted us to know. We headed towards the next building that called out to Lisa.
The Kimble House.
Originally located on County Road 49, it was constructed around 1865 on a piece of property owned by Roseman “Ross” Kimble. The house was then rented/loaned to his son, Levi, at a much later date. Research shows that Levi was previous married to a lady named Martha Nichols. Levi and Martha had 10 children, the youngest being only 3 years old when Martha died of Typhoid Fever (1918). Levi would eventual remarry a woman (15 years younger than him), five years later in 1923. Levi and his second wife, Elizabeth, lived in the house where they raised their 6 children. In 1960 the house was moved to a location on Highway 36, just south of Bobcaygeon, where it was renovated and had an addition added to it. In 2011, the house was then moved to the Village where it now calls home.
“Right away, seven,” Lisa said as she entered the house. “Either seven in the family or 7 children,” she added. The team had now fully entered the old home. “Is there an upstairs?” Lisa asked. Robyn told her yes and pointed to where the stairs were. “Okay, I knew there was,” Lisa chuckled. Lisa and Rachel made their way up the stairs to the second floor. “There is something with seven,” Lisa kept repeating. “Is Stewart connected?” she asked next. “Not that I know of,” replied Rachel. Lisa tried to connect more to his energy. “His energy isn’t strong. I can barely hear him,” she said. “He’s the Father?” she questioned. “Not the original. But I only have info on one family. Not sure who many have lived here after,” Rachel said. Lisa shrugged and continued to look around the upper floor. “I feel like this was not two separate rooms,” she said. “There were several beds here though. Like three or four,” she added. Lisa continued to stare off into the one room. “There is something with stomach issues. Like I am going to vomit,” she said. “Steven? Stevenson? Connected to this house?” she questioned next. “Not that I know of,” Rachel answered. “I feel like there is a William, Jane,” added Lisa. “Yes, there is a William. No Jane. At least not in my notes,” replied Rachel. Feeling like the energy had shifted, Lisa and Rachel headed back down stairs to the main level. “There was a rocking chair right here,” said Lisa, as she pointed to the one corner. “The table was here,” she said, pointing to the middle of the room. “I get a weird feeling that something about by the stairs was used for punishment,” Alison said. Lisa agreed. Lisa also felt that the room was off. “I don’t know if this room was here. I don’t think it was,” she said. “Like it was an add-on?” asked Alison. “Like they put it in, I feel like,” said Lisa. “Do you think the family added it or after?” questioned Alison. “After the family,” replied Lisa. “Like this was wide open,” she added. “The stairs aren’t in the original spot either,” she continued. The team then exited the building and asked Robyn if the original lay out of the house had changed over time. Robyn says that the room was an add-on, the main level was one giant room and that the stairs were not in their original spot. “There was a bedroom where the stairs are,” Lisa said. Robyn agreed that it was highly probably that there was.
The team made their way to the next building, but Mother Nature had other things in mind. A quick down pour of rain saw the team huddled under a giant tree outside of the Church. The large branches and full leaves made it the perfect spot to remain dry. “Was that church a town hall too?” asked Lisa. Robyn agreed that it was more than likely used in that fashion, as many old churches were back in the day. “Have people seen people in the window of the church?” Lisa asked next. Robyn was unsure as she had not heard of any experiences reported of that nature. “People have,” replied Lisa. The quick down pour had now subsided and we were now able to make our way to the next house of interest – The Wray House.
The Wray House
Dating back to the 1850s, The Wray house is the oldest building on the property. Originally located on Hickory Beach Road, it was built by the Wray family and lived in by four successive generations. The house continued to be the family home and lived in until it was donated to the village in 1998 by Russell Wray.
“Oh, this smells weird!” exclaimed Alison as she entered the house. “I love everything!” she added. Lisa entered and wander towards the left side. “This is not feeling original,” she said. “Could have once been a door to the outside,” added Rachel. It is here that we captured and EVP – a woman, whispering – “Scared”. Lisa and Rachel then made their way to the room on the right and came face to face with some lovely mannequins. “That’s going to scare the crap out of me later,” said Rachel. “I see dead people and these scare me,” Lisa joked. “Maybe they’ll move tonight,” Rachel said with a chuckle. “I was just gonna say!” laughed Lisa. “I feel like they move,” she added. “Is this where Steven’s is?” she asked. No one was able to validate that. The team then made their way up to the second floor. “Obviously these rooms were not here. There was no separation of rooms,” Lisa said as she stood in the hallway. “This house was passed down from family member to family member, pretty much,” Rachel added. “Like six generations?” questioned Lisa. Lisa looked deep in thought. “Is it an ‘S” name?” she asked. “Similar. Sounds like an ‘S’ but it’s not,” said Rachel. Rachel asked Lisa if she wanted to know the name. Lisa nodded. “Ellsworth, or Elzie as they called him,” she said. “Ha! That’s why I was think Elsa!” she exclaimed. “Is there four connected to the original?” she asked next. “Three girls, six boys,” replied Rachel. “There is something to do with a four,” said Lisa. Lisa began to feel shoulder pain and needed to remove herself from the upper level. The team headed back down to the main level where Robyn and Rachael waiting. “Is that an add-on?” Lisa asked, pointing to the back room on the left-hand side. Robyn thinks it may have been at some point. “There is something not right here,” Lisa stated. It was at this point that our audio recorder picked up another EVP – a whispered voice saying “Who’s there?” “It’s not even the restoration,” said Lisa. “Something just isn’t right,” she added. Lisa tried to ask for more clarification on what wasn’t right, but was unable to receive anything. “Did the lady who owned this pass before it was donated?” she asked. “A man donated it, but I am unsure if his wife was alive or not,” Rachel replied. The team headed back outside and towards the next building – The General Store.
**Check out our YouTube Page for the EVP we captured**
The General Store
Once located on King Street in Bobcaygeon, Jimmie Hills Harness Shop use to call the building home. In the 1980’s this building was a home to an antique store called the Raebenloft. Sadly, a horrific murder, and attempted murder, took place within the walls of this building, forever leaving its mark. The suspects were apprehended, charged and incarcerated.
“I keep seeing a duel,” said Lisa. “What’s with the duel?” she questioned as she walked towards the back of the building. “Oh my god! It’s a barber shop,” she exclaimed as she made her way over to the old barber chair. It was then that our audio captured another EVP – a whispered voice saying “write me a letter.” Lisa made her way over to the old rotary phone that was hanging on the wall. “You’re not going to be able to validate this,” she said. “Okay?” questioned Rachel. “One of the operators that was on the other end of this phone had a stroke,” she said. “You’re right, I would be able to,” replied Rachel. Lisa then noticed the stairs. “Can we go upstairs?” she asked Robyn. Robyn said it was permitted, but it was mostly just a storage space now. Lisa made her way up first, followed by Rachel. “You picking up anything?” asked Rachel. “Yeah, two people,” replied Lisa. “I feel like somebody hung themselves in here,” she said. “Perhaps back in the day,” Rachel replied. “Link to the underground railroad?” quizzed Lisa. “Perhaps,” said Rachel questionably. “Why do I taste…” Lisa trailed off. “Like you know when you leave a Tylenol on your tongue for too long,” she added. “That’s what I taste right now.” She continued to look around. “This use to be living quarters,” said Rachel. “Yeah. I’m seeing several single-ish beds. Three to four on each side,” said Lisa. Suddenly Lisa was overcome with the feeling of being unable to breath. It was with this sensation that prompted Lisa and Rachel to head back down to the main level. “He is very sad,” Lisa blurted out. “They aren’t showing me why,” she added. Lisa then asked Robyn if the building was ever used as an Inn, or more like a half way point that people may have spent the night to rest at. Robyn was not sure but did say that it could be a possibility. “I see beds, like a flop house. Front side,” Lisa said. As we made our way towards the front of the building, Lisa stopped. “Umm, was it illegal?” she asked. “What happened here?” questioned Rachel. “Yeah,” replied Lisa. “Oh yeah. There was a crime that happened here. Yes,” said Rachel. “Like a murder?” asked Lisa. “Yeah,” replied Rachel. Lisa was quiet for a few moments. “It wasn’t pretty at all. Like, I just feel like it was very gruesome,” she said. “Did he try to hide it?” she asked. Before Rachel could reply, Lisa jumped in. “Heart, chest,” she said. “Robbery related?” she asked. “There was an aspect to it,” said Rachel. “Was it in the backroom?” she asked next, as she headed back towards where the team had just come from. “Do you know where?” she questioned. As Rachel was about to point out the location, Lisa walked over and stood in the general area. “I feel like it was over here,” she said. She was correct. “Someone related to that is here,” she said. It was at this point that Lisa began to describe what she was seeing, acting out the actions of beating someone. “It is really sad,” Lisa said. Rachel then describes the situation that occurred and what is said to have happened. “Jealousy rears his ugly head,” said Rachel. “That makes sense, the actions,” added Lisa. The team was quiet for a minute when Lisa broke it. “Oh! He was hit from behind. Not expecting it at all,” she said. “He didn’t die from the first hit,” she added. “He went nuts on him. Its more than 30. He didn’t stop,” she continued. “This poor guy. He’s so sad,” she said. “His energy. Rachel, this poor man. He had no idea this was going to happen. When he did see his face, it was like the hurt,” Lisa said with tears in her eyes. “I’m feeling the hurt, betrayal. He would never cheat on his lover,” she said. Lisa was overwhelmed by emotion at this point and needed to exit the building. “He didn’t even know. He had no idea,” said Lisa. It was at this point that we knew that we needed to take a small break, to allow Lisa to express the emotions she was feeling and to prepare for the remainder of the evening.
**Check out our YouTube Page for the EVP we captured**
Dating back to the 1850s, The Wray house is the oldest building on the property. Originally located on Hickory Beach Road, it was built by the Wray family and lived in by four successive generations. The house continued to be the family home and lived in until it was donated to the village in 1998 by Russell Wray.
“Oh, this smells weird!” exclaimed Alison as she entered the house. “I love everything!” she added. Lisa entered and wander towards the left side. “This is not feeling original,” she said. “Could have once been a door to the outside,” added Rachel. It is here that we captured and EVP – a woman, whispering – “Scared”. Lisa and Rachel then made their way to the room on the right and came face to face with some lovely mannequins. “That’s going to scare the crap out of me later,” said Rachel. “I see dead people and these scare me,” Lisa joked. “Maybe they’ll move tonight,” Rachel said with a chuckle. “I was just gonna say!” laughed Lisa. “I feel like they move,” she added. “Is this where Steven’s is?” she asked. No one was able to validate that. The team then made their way up to the second floor. “Obviously these rooms were not here. There was no separation of rooms,” Lisa said as she stood in the hallway. “This house was passed down from family member to family member, pretty much,” Rachel added. “Like six generations?” questioned Lisa. Lisa looked deep in thought. “Is it an ‘S” name?” she asked. “Similar. Sounds like an ‘S’ but it’s not,” said Rachel. Rachel asked Lisa if she wanted to know the name. Lisa nodded. “Ellsworth, or Elzie as they called him,” she said. “Ha! That’s why I was think Elsa!” she exclaimed. “Is there four connected to the original?” she asked next. “Three girls, six boys,” replied Rachel. “There is something to do with a four,” said Lisa. Lisa began to feel shoulder pain and needed to remove herself from the upper level. The team headed back down to the main level where Robyn and Rachael waiting. “Is that an add-on?” Lisa asked, pointing to the back room on the left-hand side. Robyn thinks it may have been at some point. “There is something not right here,” Lisa stated. It was at this point that our audio recorder picked up another EVP – a whispered voice saying “Who’s there?” “It’s not even the restoration,” said Lisa. “Something just isn’t right,” she added. Lisa tried to ask for more clarification on what wasn’t right, but was unable to receive anything. “Did the lady who owned this pass before it was donated?” she asked. “A man donated it, but I am unsure if his wife was alive or not,” Rachel replied. The team headed back outside and towards the next building – The General Store.
**Check out our YouTube Page for the EVP we captured**
The General Store
Once located on King Street in Bobcaygeon, Jimmie Hills Harness Shop use to call the building home. In the 1980’s this building was a home to an antique store called the Raebenloft. Sadly, a horrific murder, and attempted murder, took place within the walls of this building, forever leaving its mark. The suspects were apprehended, charged and incarcerated.
“I keep seeing a duel,” said Lisa. “What’s with the duel?” she questioned as she walked towards the back of the building. “Oh my god! It’s a barber shop,” she exclaimed as she made her way over to the old barber chair. It was then that our audio captured another EVP – a whispered voice saying “write me a letter.” Lisa made her way over to the old rotary phone that was hanging on the wall. “You’re not going to be able to validate this,” she said. “Okay?” questioned Rachel. “One of the operators that was on the other end of this phone had a stroke,” she said. “You’re right, I would be able to,” replied Rachel. Lisa then noticed the stairs. “Can we go upstairs?” she asked Robyn. Robyn said it was permitted, but it was mostly just a storage space now. Lisa made her way up first, followed by Rachel. “You picking up anything?” asked Rachel. “Yeah, two people,” replied Lisa. “I feel like somebody hung themselves in here,” she said. “Perhaps back in the day,” Rachel replied. “Link to the underground railroad?” quizzed Lisa. “Perhaps,” said Rachel questionably. “Why do I taste…” Lisa trailed off. “Like you know when you leave a Tylenol on your tongue for too long,” she added. “That’s what I taste right now.” She continued to look around. “This use to be living quarters,” said Rachel. “Yeah. I’m seeing several single-ish beds. Three to four on each side,” said Lisa. Suddenly Lisa was overcome with the feeling of being unable to breath. It was with this sensation that prompted Lisa and Rachel to head back down to the main level. “He is very sad,” Lisa blurted out. “They aren’t showing me why,” she added. Lisa then asked Robyn if the building was ever used as an Inn, or more like a half way point that people may have spent the night to rest at. Robyn was not sure but did say that it could be a possibility. “I see beds, like a flop house. Front side,” Lisa said. As we made our way towards the front of the building, Lisa stopped. “Umm, was it illegal?” she asked. “What happened here?” questioned Rachel. “Yeah,” replied Lisa. “Oh yeah. There was a crime that happened here. Yes,” said Rachel. “Like a murder?” asked Lisa. “Yeah,” replied Rachel. Lisa was quiet for a few moments. “It wasn’t pretty at all. Like, I just feel like it was very gruesome,” she said. “Did he try to hide it?” she asked. Before Rachel could reply, Lisa jumped in. “Heart, chest,” she said. “Robbery related?” she asked. “There was an aspect to it,” said Rachel. “Was it in the backroom?” she asked next, as she headed back towards where the team had just come from. “Do you know where?” she questioned. As Rachel was about to point out the location, Lisa walked over and stood in the general area. “I feel like it was over here,” she said. She was correct. “Someone related to that is here,” she said. It was at this point that Lisa began to describe what she was seeing, acting out the actions of beating someone. “It is really sad,” Lisa said. Rachel then describes the situation that occurred and what is said to have happened. “Jealousy rears his ugly head,” said Rachel. “That makes sense, the actions,” added Lisa. The team was quiet for a minute when Lisa broke it. “Oh! He was hit from behind. Not expecting it at all,” she said. “He didn’t die from the first hit,” she added. “He went nuts on him. Its more than 30. He didn’t stop,” she continued. “This poor guy. He’s so sad,” she said. “His energy. Rachel, this poor man. He had no idea this was going to happen. When he did see his face, it was like the hurt,” Lisa said with tears in her eyes. “I’m feeling the hurt, betrayal. He would never cheat on his lover,” she said. Lisa was overwhelmed by emotion at this point and needed to exit the building. “He didn’t even know. He had no idea,” said Lisa. It was at this point that we knew that we needed to take a small break, to allow Lisa to express the emotions she was feeling and to prepare for the remainder of the evening.
**Check out our YouTube Page for the EVP we captured**
THE INVESTIGATION
After talking a well-deserved break and letting Lisa sort through the emotions that were her own and the emotions that she was picking up on, it was decided that we would start the evening off doing a Live Video. Our first stop the night was to the Junkin House. This was our first time in the house that evening so all the information was new. Originally located between Bobcaygeon and Fenelon Falls, it was built in 1864 by Thomas and Esther (Easter) Junkin. The Junkin’s raised 7 children within the walls, and up until the 1960’s a Junkin family member had always lived in the home. In 1993, Thomas “Malcolm” Bowhey Junkin donated the home to the museum. Watch the video below to see what happened during our session. We also visited the Wray House as well during our Live segment.
After talking a well-deserved break and letting Lisa sort through the emotions that were her own and the emotions that she was picking up on, it was decided that we would start the evening off doing a Live Video. Our first stop the night was to the Junkin House. This was our first time in the house that evening so all the information was new. Originally located between Bobcaygeon and Fenelon Falls, it was built in 1864 by Thomas and Esther (Easter) Junkin. The Junkin’s raised 7 children within the walls, and up until the 1960’s a Junkin family member had always lived in the home. In 1993, Thomas “Malcolm” Bowhey Junkin donated the home to the museum. Watch the video below to see what happened during our session. We also visited the Wray House as well during our Live segment.
Our next stop on our investigation was the Henderson House. We had been using this house as our base for the evening, but it was now time for us to investigate it. Built in between 1910 and 1913, Robert Henderson and his family called it home. Its original location was on Front Street in Bobcaygeon with a waterfront view of the dam and river. The team headed up to the second floor. “I heard “Cousin Betty,” Lisa said as we walked down the hallway. We entered the last room on our left. “I don’t like the vibe,” said Lisa. “Not negative, but,” she continued. Robyn agreed with Lisa’s feeling. She wasn’t scared to come up there, but it was not a comfortable feeling. “Right now, there is a chest compression that is connected to this room,” said Lisa. “There is something in this room that it is connected to,” she clarified. “Is it clothing?” asked Sheena. “What is in this room?” Lisa asked Robyn. “Old clothing,” Robyn replied. “Is it actual old clothing?” questioned Lisa. Robyn said it was mixture of both old and reproduction. “Did somebody die in them?” asked Sheena. “The stuff that happens in this room is connected to something in this room,” said Lisa. Lisa then joked that if she was standing by the door because she was afraid that if the door shut and she got locked in the room, it would be the end of her paranormal investigating career. Robyn was surprised to hear Lisa say that, as a staff member had the door shut and lock on her (the lock is on the outside of the door and she was the only person inside the building at the time). Her only way out was to yell at other staff members out of the window to rescue her. We turned the Ghost box on in the hopes that someone would want to communicate with us. “Who’s up here with us?” asked Rachel. A voice is heard through the ghost box – ‘Out’. “Out where?” asked Rachel. No response. Lisa then felt someone touch her hair. “Who’s touching Lisa’s hair?” Rachel asked next. No response. Rachel asked one final time who was up there with them. This time a voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Boo’. “I heard ‘Boo’,” said Lisa. “Are you Casper the friendly ghost?” she joked. “Do you want us to go to another place?” asked Rachel. The ghost box was quiet. A few more questions were asked, but no responses. The team moved on to the next room. “Holy Moley!” exclaimed Lisa. “Is there something in here that would extract heat?” she asked. Robyn said that was a possibility. There were tons of medical artifacts in the room. “Tooth ache. And there is a tool in here connected to that,” Lisa said. The upper floor seemed to go quiet after that and we decided to head out to our next location to attempt communication – The Murphy Barn.
The Murphy barn is the only building that is Original to the property. Once owned by John and Mary-Ann Murphy, the farm was operated by their son Gerald. Sadly, in the 1930s the farm was forced to close when installing pasteurization equipment was required. Robyn unlocked the doors and we entered into the barn. The barn seemed much bigger from the inside and housed a lot of interesting artifacts. “Can you let us know that you’re here?” asked Lisa. “I know you’re here, but can you let them know you are here,” she said. Everyone was quiet, but nothing out the normal happened. “Giving me the goosebumps does not help them know that you are here,” stated Lisa. “Can you knock something?” she asked. But all was quiet. We turned the ghost box on in the hopes that maybe who ever was with us would choose to communicate that way. “Are you happy with what they have done to this property?” asked Rachel. “Touching me does not help them know you are here,” blurted out Lisa. “Who is here with us right now?” asked Rachel. No response. “Is there a Daniel, or a David, connected to this family? A ‘Da’ name,” asked Lisa. Rachel’s notes didn’t yield any answers, and Robyn was unsure. “Show them what you can do. Show them what a tough guy you are,” Lisa said. “Is he a strong energy?” asked Alison. “Yes, that’s why I’m asking him to do something,” Lisa replied. “Does he have a name?” Alison asked. “Daniel,” said Lisa. Lisa continued to asked for a sign, but nothing was given. “Have they filmed a movie here?” Lisa asked. “Something was filmed in here,” she said. Robyn wasn’t one hundred percent sure, but did acknowledge that there had been movie crews at the village. “Can you play the piano?” Sheena asked. “Hit a key?” she questioned. All was quiet. Our film student, Cody, then asked Lisa if perhaps Daniel might have been a Gerald. “Oh! I had a Gerald earlier,” said Lisa. “I picked up his name and energy on the drive up,” she said. A male voice was then heard through the ghost box – ‘Hello’. “Who are we speaking with?” asked Rachel. A male voice was heard – ‘Neil’. “I heard Neil,” stated Lisa. More questioned were asked but no responses were heard. “Do you want us to go to another place?” asked Rachel. A voice is heard through the ghost box – ‘Please’. “What place do you want us to go to?” Rachel asked next. No responses where heard. Cody then asked if John Murphy was with them. The ghost box remained quiet. “Who from the Murphy family is here?” asked Rachel. A voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Company’. “Company?” questioned Rachel. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Tom’. “Hi Tom,” greeted Sheena. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Nick’. “Nick,” repeated Lisa. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Hi’. “Hi!” Lisa shouted back. It was true, we had company. Cody then asked if John could move something before we left. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘No’. This was a long, drawn out ‘no’ that made the group laugh. “We are going to another location. Can you tell us which one we are going to?” Rachel asked. This time a female voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Ass’. We took that as it was our time to leave the barn and make our way back to our final stop for the evening – The General Store. Before going back to the building, we walked the grounds with Robyn and kept her company while she locked up the buildings we had ventured into earlier. As we stood outside the Kimble House, Lisa looked up and stopped mid-sentence. “Totally just saw the drapes upstairs move,” she said, as Robyn rejoined the group from locking the door.
The Murphy barn is the only building that is Original to the property. Once owned by John and Mary-Ann Murphy, the farm was operated by their son Gerald. Sadly, in the 1930s the farm was forced to close when installing pasteurization equipment was required. Robyn unlocked the doors and we entered into the barn. The barn seemed much bigger from the inside and housed a lot of interesting artifacts. “Can you let us know that you’re here?” asked Lisa. “I know you’re here, but can you let them know you are here,” she said. Everyone was quiet, but nothing out the normal happened. “Giving me the goosebumps does not help them know that you are here,” stated Lisa. “Can you knock something?” she asked. But all was quiet. We turned the ghost box on in the hopes that maybe who ever was with us would choose to communicate that way. “Are you happy with what they have done to this property?” asked Rachel. “Touching me does not help them know you are here,” blurted out Lisa. “Who is here with us right now?” asked Rachel. No response. “Is there a Daniel, or a David, connected to this family? A ‘Da’ name,” asked Lisa. Rachel’s notes didn’t yield any answers, and Robyn was unsure. “Show them what you can do. Show them what a tough guy you are,” Lisa said. “Is he a strong energy?” asked Alison. “Yes, that’s why I’m asking him to do something,” Lisa replied. “Does he have a name?” Alison asked. “Daniel,” said Lisa. Lisa continued to asked for a sign, but nothing was given. “Have they filmed a movie here?” Lisa asked. “Something was filmed in here,” she said. Robyn wasn’t one hundred percent sure, but did acknowledge that there had been movie crews at the village. “Can you play the piano?” Sheena asked. “Hit a key?” she questioned. All was quiet. Our film student, Cody, then asked Lisa if perhaps Daniel might have been a Gerald. “Oh! I had a Gerald earlier,” said Lisa. “I picked up his name and energy on the drive up,” she said. A male voice was then heard through the ghost box – ‘Hello’. “Who are we speaking with?” asked Rachel. A male voice was heard – ‘Neil’. “I heard Neil,” stated Lisa. More questioned were asked but no responses were heard. “Do you want us to go to another place?” asked Rachel. A voice is heard through the ghost box – ‘Please’. “What place do you want us to go to?” Rachel asked next. No responses where heard. Cody then asked if John Murphy was with them. The ghost box remained quiet. “Who from the Murphy family is here?” asked Rachel. A voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Company’. “Company?” questioned Rachel. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Tom’. “Hi Tom,” greeted Sheena. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Nick’. “Nick,” repeated Lisa. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Hi’. “Hi!” Lisa shouted back. It was true, we had company. Cody then asked if John could move something before we left. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘No’. This was a long, drawn out ‘no’ that made the group laugh. “We are going to another location. Can you tell us which one we are going to?” Rachel asked. This time a female voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Ass’. We took that as it was our time to leave the barn and make our way back to our final stop for the evening – The General Store. Before going back to the building, we walked the grounds with Robyn and kept her company while she locked up the buildings we had ventured into earlier. As we stood outside the Kimble House, Lisa looked up and stopped mid-sentence. “Totally just saw the drapes upstairs move,” she said, as Robyn rejoined the group from locking the door.
Lisa was a bit hesitant to enter back into the General Store, fully knowing what awaited her behind closed doors. The team made their way to the back room and wasted no time. We turned the ghost box on and began. “Who is here with us right now?” asked Rachel. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Paul’. Another male voice was heard right after – ‘Help’. “I heard Paul,” Lisa stated. “What happened here?” Rachel asked. “What happened in this building?” she clarified. A male voice is heard through the ghost box – ‘hurt’. “Oh my God. I know who Paul is,” said Alison, as she held Rachel’s notes in her hand. “Victim?” asked Lisa. Alison shook her head no. “Attacker?” questioned Lisa. Alison nodded her head yes. “He still alive?” Lisa asked next. This was one question no one could answer. More questions were asked, but no responses were heard. “I feel like he died by the stairs. About 3 to 4 feet closer to the stairs,” Lisa said. “Was his name a ‘G’?” she asked next. “The?” quizzed Alison. “The victim,” clarified Lisa. Alison told Lisa no. The Victim’s name did not start with the letter ‘G’. However, it has a very strong ‘G’ sound to it. “Can you tell us your name?” asked Rachel. A young girl’s voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Yeah’, followed by a male voice – ‘Ben’. “Can you tell us what happened here?” Rachel asked next. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Yup’. “What happened?” asked Rachel. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Something’. Robyn then spoke up and confirmed Lisa’s questions about the location of the incident. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Killed’. “You were killed?” asked Rachel. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Slain’. “Who did it?” Rachel asked. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Dave’. “Do you need any help?” questioned Rachel. This time a female voice was heard – ‘No’. “Do you want us to come back and help you out another day?” Rachel asked. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘No’. Rachel continued to ask questions. “You want to stay here?” she asked. A male voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Four years’, followed by ‘No’. “Is there anything you want to tell us?” she asked next. A female voice was heard through the ghost box – ‘Something’, followed by a male voice – ‘Private’, ‘Leave’. “Leave. Are you all tired and want us to go home?” asked Rachel. The ghost box was quiet. The film student, Cody, asked if whomever was with us to touch the REM pod and activate it. A male voice is heard through the ghost box – ‘Shut up man,’. “Is something ‘Richard’?” Lisa suddenly questioned. “Ricky would be short for Richard,” Alison said. “There is a Rick connected to what happened,” she continued. A male voice was then heard through the ghost box – ‘Dead’. “Is it time for us to go?” asked Rachel. A female voice was heard through the ghost box - ‘Leave’. “We have been told to leave many times,” said Lisa. We all agreed. “Let’s be respectful of that,” added Alison. With that, we gathered up our equipment and left the General Store
It was now late and the Village had descended into quiet solitude. We decided that this was our sign to pack up and end our investigation. We gathered our belongings, said our good byes and vowed to come back and investigate more – visit the buildings that didn’t make our list that evening. “I still can’t believe that I didn’t know this place existed,” Rachel said, as she drove through the dark of night with the full moon lighting their way home.
If you’re looking for something to do, we highly suggest visiting Kawartha Settler’s Village and immersing yourself in the pioneer history of the area. They offer Ghost Tours at certain times of the year, but you don’t have to go on one to have an experience. You may just have a ghostly encounter walking the grounds. For more information, or to plan your visit, please visit their website at www.settlersvillage.org or call them at (705) 738-6163. You never know who might be waiting to greet you when you arrive.
It was now late and the Village had descended into quiet solitude. We decided that this was our sign to pack up and end our investigation. We gathered our belongings, said our good byes and vowed to come back and investigate more – visit the buildings that didn’t make our list that evening. “I still can’t believe that I didn’t know this place existed,” Rachel said, as she drove through the dark of night with the full moon lighting their way home.
If you’re looking for something to do, we highly suggest visiting Kawartha Settler’s Village and immersing yourself in the pioneer history of the area. They offer Ghost Tours at certain times of the year, but you don’t have to go on one to have an experience. You may just have a ghostly encounter walking the grounds. For more information, or to plan your visit, please visit their website at www.settlersvillage.org or call them at (705) 738-6163. You never know who might be waiting to greet you when you arrive.