'A frightful night at Sam Davis Home' on The Murfreesboro Post

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'A frightful night at Sam Davis Home'

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By: By ERIN EDGEMON Business Editor

TMP photo by Kelly Hite. The Sam Davis home was built in 1820 and holds a lot of history.

SMYRNA — In the 10 years or so Clarence Elkins has served as a tour guide at the historic Sam Davis Home he has born witness to incidences or happenings, if you will, that can’t logically be explained.

One of them, which occurred in December two years ago, was particularly frightening for the retiree who regularly escorts school children and other guests through the Civil War hero’s home.

On this day, Elkins remembers unlocking the outside doors of the home and turning off the alarm in preparation for a day of tours.

When he unlocked the front door, Elkins suddenly realized there was a noise coming from inside the house.

“I stopped to listen,” he said. “It was unmistakable. It sounded like someone weeping.”

Then he began walking towards the formal parlor in the front of the house, where he expected the noise was coming from. When he was just outside the door to the room, the noise stopped. There was no one in the room.

“I couldn’t figure it out at all,” Elkins said.

Many of these mysterious happenings take place in December, he explained, which is the month in which Davis’ body lied in wake in the front parlor of the home before he was buried in the family cemetery.

Elkins provided one possible explanation for the weeping sounds.

Sam’s sister, Andromedia, lived to be 90 years old. She was interviewed as the last of the siblings, when she was 60 years old. Andromedia told the interviewer that after Sam was killed, her mother and grandmother would often take out a trunk that contained a school uniform Sam used to wear and would weep over it.

Elkins also suspects several of Davis’ relatives including his parents and siblings died in the home. Slaves also likely died on the property.

Often, he said, children will become frightened on tours after looking into rooms especially those on the second floor. Visitors, also often children, will comment about seeing persons on the property who aren’t really there.

Elkins said there are often sightings of a person who resembles Oscar, Sam’s brother, looming around the graveyard on the property.

These stories and numerous others experienced by employees and volunteers of the Sam Davis Home are being shared at special Halloween events that continue Oct. 26 and 27.

Tours will include a haunted hayride of the property and a walk through the house.

The Sam Davis Home was built on 160 acres along the banks of Stewarts Creek in 1820. Davis was hanged by Union troops on Nov. 7, 1863.

“There is at least one story for every room, sometimes more,” said Meredith (Lane) Toporzysek, office and event coordinator,

She has experienced several spooky happenings since joining the staff a year ago.

On one particular occasion, she and Anita Teague, executive director of the Sam Davis Home, were plotting the grounds near the education center to indicate where a tent should be placed for a special event.

They looked at the building realizing that they tent could go a little closer. The lights in the building were off. When they turned their heads to look at the building again, the lights were on.

“It freaked us out a little bit,” Toporzysek said. “Neither one of us wanted to be the one that went in to turn off the lights.”

Toporzysek wouldn’t reveal who she thinks is haunting the home and property. She said guests will just have to take the tour to find out.

Erin Edgemon can be reached at 869-0812 and at eedgemon@murfreesboropost.com.

On the Web:
www.samdavishome.org

Haunted Tours of Sam Davis Home
Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m. – “A Frightful Night: Experience an evening of fright at the Sam Davis Home”
The haunted evening begins with a festive meal followed by a stylish suspense thriller in the Henry King Theater. Following the film gusts will be guided through the plantation on a hayride of haunted tales. The evening will commence inside the Sam Davis Home as members of the staff share their personal experiences with the Home’s ghostly inhabitants. Admission is $20. Call 459-2341 for reservations.

Oct. 27 – “Ghost Tours: Haunted Happenings at the Sam Davis Home and Beyond,” Tours run from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Tour the grounds on a haunted hay ride before entering the historical home for a night of tales you are sure not to forget. Admission is $5 per person. Concessions will be available for additional cost. Not recommended for children under the age of 10.

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Member Opinions:

By: tnwolf1762 on 10/27/07
GREAT!!!

If all the folks who work or live at one of our "Tennessee Haunts" would send their stories in to the Post it would make a fantastic edition for "Halloween Day".

OH,
And call "TAPS" (GOHST HUNTERS)