History with ‘Hud’: Story behind ghost encounters of people who met sudden deaths in Cape Fear
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Halloween is just days away, marking the annual celebration of all things paranormal. The Cape Fear is no stranger to ghost stories, with sightings being reported across Wilmington and beyond.
The Battleship North Carolina, Fort Fisher and even the New Hanover County Public Library reportedly serve as hot spots for beyond-the-grave activity. But there are a few Cape Fear ghosts spotted over the years who met a sudden demise.
Samuel Russell Jocelyn Jr. certainly meets the criteria. On March 16, 1810, Jocelyn rode his horse into the cold winter night after having an argument with his wife. Jocelyn was thrown from his horse somewhere along his journey, landing unconscious in a pool of water. When he was found, it was determined Jocelyn had frozen to death. He was taken to the Saint James Episcopal Parish cemetery and buried. The problem was, Jocelyn wasn’t dead – he had been buried alive.
One of Jocelyn’s friends claimed to hear the voice of his buddy asking him to come dig him up. When the wooden coffin was uncovered and opened three days later, scratches were found in the lid of the coffin along with the bloody fingertips of Jocelyn’s fingers. Reports over the years have claimed you can still hear the muffled cries and scratching noises coming from the cemetery as Samuel attempts to escape his grave.
Numerous other ghost encounters have been reported just two blocks up Market Street at the former site of public executions in Wilmington. From the 1700s through early 1800s, the Port City would conduct public hangings on the grounds near present-day Bellamy Mansion. The area was known as Gallows Hill, with the public turning out by the dozens to witness the quick deaths of local criminals.
For those who didn’t have any family to claim the body, they were simply buried on the grounds of the gallows. As the city grew, the gallows were moved further outside of town. But in true poltergeist-fashion, numerous remains were built upon in 1860, when Dr. William Price constructed a house at the location. Guests over the years reportedly heard footsteps of the condemned walking up the stairs to the gallows.
One of the most famous Cape Fear ghost tales takes place just west of the Port City, with the story of the Maco Light. On a rainy night in 1856, railroad worker Joe Baldwin laid down to sleep in the caboose of a train headed out of town. But before drifting off, his car gave a lurch and began to slow as they approached a hill. Baldwin found the caboose he was in had become detached from the rest of the train. A cargo train was scheduled to come through shortly, and Baldwin knew he needed to alert the train before it smashed into the stalled caboose.
When Baldwin heard the train approaching through thick fog, he attempted to use a lantern to signal it to stop. The engineer eventually saw the lantern and threw the brakes to stop the train. The decision came in time to save the lives of those on the train, but it was too late for Baldwin. The cargo train slammed into the caboose, killing Baldwin on impact. He was found the next morning, still holding the lantern but missing his head.
In the years to follow, people traveling through the area reported seeing a mysterious glow in the night. Some believe it’s the lantern of Baldwin out signaling the train or looking for his missing body part.
Back in downtown Wilmington, there’s another story of a man who nearly also lost his head.
Henry Wentzel was a 35-year-old German painter who met an untimely death while painting the building which now houses Front Street Brewery. In November of 1895, the site was occupied by a department store. Wentzel was on the third floor painting the inside of the light well. He lost his footing and fell more than 30 feet, landing on the bottom-floor cash register and snapping his neck.
A newspaper article documented the event which has led to several ghostly encounters since. Front Street Brewery restaurant staff say they have heard whistling in the stairwells or footsteps above them, with some even spotting a man dressed in painting attire.
Whether or not you believe these ghost stories are legitimate or people seeing what they choose to see, Wilmington remains one of the “most haunted” cities in the state.
