Jefferson, TX is Haunted

The Grove

We have another location that claims to be one of the most haunted places in the Lone Star State.

There are over 160 years of ghost stories centered around this home that was built in 1861. And the first indication that something not quite right was going on was in 1882 when T.C. Burke purchased the home. One fine April morning he moved his family in. On same day, just before midnight, he moved them back out. His explanation? "We can’t live there..." And he never spoke of it again publicly.

The original owners of the home, W. Frank and Minerva Stilley were a young couple who moved in to start their lives together. But between 1870 and 1880 they encountered some bad luck. First a flood destroyed their cotton brokering business. And soon after Minerva passed away in the home from childbirth complications.

It was then sold to the Rock family in 1880 who lived in it until one of their four daughters died mysteriously in the home. It wasn’t long before they fell on hard times and were forced to sell the property.

That’s when the Burk’s moved in and we’ve already discussed them.

Next was the Youngs. Charlie and Daphne were a freed black couple who purchased this as their first home in 1885. There are no reports of any paranormal events, but their only son James would hang himself on the back porch in 1908. He was not buried in Jefferson’s cemetery Cedar Grove with the rest of his family. His parents lived in the home until their deaths.

NOTE: A black man hanging himself in Texas is suspect. I am stating what was reported not claiming it as fact.

Next Louise Young, Charlie and Daphne’s daughter took over ownership. She lived her entire live in the home except for the time she spent away at college to get her teaching degree. One of the notable things she did was enclose that porch where James killed himself and have it turned into an indoor bathroom. “According to those who knew Louise, she was constantly frightened of something, since she had every interior door and window fitted with strong locks on them and installed strong lights to keep the yard lit" - A Texas Guide to Haunted Restaurants, Taverns, and Inns by: Robert Wlodarski & Anne Powell Wlodarski. In her later years she would insist there was someone in her house watching her.

Later in 1983, the Grove family purchased the property. Retired military chaplain Colonel Daniel Grove and his wife Lucille planned restoration and repairs on the home as it had fallen into disrepair. Again tragedy struck the new owners. Col. Grove began seeing specters on the grounds. Once, Mrs. Grove reportedly brought a Bible to bed with the intention of praying for her husband, but she fell asleep. When she awoke a black swirling mass engulfed the bedroom. She also reported unexplained voices, disembodied footsteps, sounds of objects being moved, and full-bodied apparitions. When Col. Grove was diagnosed with dementia, the home was sold again.

In 1990 Patrick Hopkins bought the home and converted into a restaurant. During the remodel tools went missing or were moved. Customers reported seeing people walking through the dining room wearing clothes popular in different historical periods.

Currently Tammi and Mitchell bought the home in 2002. They reverted it back to a home and currently offer tours. They are open about hauntings on the property. Below is a list of their collected tales.

• During tours of the home, visitors have noticed sudden smells such as a woman's perfume, and the body odor of someone who hasn't bathed for days.

• Well-secured, heavy mirrors have fallen off the wall without explanation, and landed without breaking or crushing any objects beneath them.

• During a Candlelight Tour, a couple visiting from Dallas took a picture of the Christmas lights on the neighbor's house to the east of The Grove. Their photo showed the Christmas lights in the foreground. In the background was a lady in a high-collared, puff sleeved white dressed surrounded by a ring of smoke.

• While rehearsing for dinner theater, a light technician was on the front porch looking through the window. Suddenly she felt someone staring at her so she quickly glanced to the right. Standing on the east side of the house by the porch was a lady in white who began walking behind the east side of the house. Chasing the eerie-looking woman, the girl turned the corner of the house, and the woman was gone. Ironically, at one time there was a door on that side of the house leading into the Blue Room.

• On that same rehearsal night, the actress portraying the heroine came down stairs. When she reached the bottom step she saw a person in costume she was not familiar with standing in the corner. When she asked the lady who she was, the woman disappeared.

• Wet footprints have appeared in the middle of the hallway, even though there was no rain and no plumbing leaks. Drops of water have been found on the staircase, and several times on one particular mirror all when the atmosphere was dry.

• A neighbor lady related this. "Let me tell you what my sister and I have seen recently. My sister was standing on our porch one night around 9 o'clock when she called me out to see a glowing white figure across the street. She looked like she was inspecting the renovation of an old building. The figure came from the east side of The Grove!" She and her sister had witnessed this several nights in a row.

• A renter lived in the garden cottage at one time, and he looked out its window to see a little girl playing out among the flowers. He went outside, and she looked at him, then vanished.

• A shadow-figure has been seen in the garden many times - striding quickly across it, or simply just hanging around.

• Lights go on and off in the house, and the chandeliers have reported to sway, even with the absence of moving air in the room

Is it one of the most haunted places in Texas? I’m sure I don’t know. But if you’re curious enough and brave enough to go looking, let me know the answer.