William Henry Harrison: Dead But Not Silenced?

Ghost stories and dead presidents go hand-in-hand. Whether it’s the legend of Abraham Lincoln’s spirit haunting the White House halls, or the creepy ghost of Andrew Jackson laughing at visitors to the Queen’s Bedroom, it seems some presidents just have a hard time leaving the Executive Mansion.

Then again, we have William Henry Harrison, He had barely moved into the White House when he was carried out in a box. The ninth president died a mere thirty days into his administration. Perhaps that’s why there aren’t a lot of reports of his disembodied spirit wandering the corridors of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

There was, however, a horrifying moment when it appeared Ol’ Tippecanoe was calling out from beyond the grave.

Mrs. Gabriel was visiting her parents in North Bend, Indiana one evening in 1912. She happened to be walking along a lane near their home that evening, when she heard the desperate cry, “Help! Help!”

At first, she thought someone had fallen into the nearby creek, but as she approached the water, she heard the cry again. This time, it came from behind her.

Sudden fear gripped Mrs. Gabriel, and she was on the verge of collapse. If the voice behind her, then there was only one place it could have originated: the tomb of William Henry Harrison.

Harrison’s massive tomb stood on a nearby hill, overlooking the river. Sadly, the tomb had fallen into disrepair, and as Mrs. Gabriel slowly turned and faced it, she saw a desolate scene, overrun with vegetation and crumbling from neglect. It couldn’t have looked more terrifying if it had been designed by Stephen King.

Again, she heard, “Help!” There was no mistaking it this time. The voice was certainly coming from the old tomb. Trembling, she summoned the courage to ask, “Who are you?”

Who indeed. The creepy site housed not only the remains of the nation’s ninth president, but also those of his wife, Anna, and their son, John Scott Harrison. Which of them was pleading for Mrs. Gabriel’s assistance?

To her shock — and relief — it was none of them.

“George Smedley,” came the response. “Open the door quick!”

When Mrs. Gabriels approached the tomb, she found that its massive doors were braced shut with a heavy stick. She removed the stick, opened the doors, and came face-to-face with a very frightened 16-year-old boy. Scarcely able to say a word, he fell into her arms.

He was barely able to walk without Mrs. Gabriel’s assistance. She guided the boy to her parents’ house. They recognized the young man and helped return him to his home. Several hours later, George recovered enough from his shock to explain what had happened.

It turns out that George and his friends were exploring the area surrounding the tomb when they discovered the doors to the tomb were open. The curious boys ventured inside.

As a prank, George’s friends exited the tomb and slammed the doors shut behind them, trapping George inside. They stuck a tree branch against the doors to hold them shut. They ran away, laughing, thinking that George would be able to force the doors open with a bit of effort. Unbeknownst to them, the doors were securely jammed, and a frightened George was forced to spend the night in the old, creepy tomb, with nothing but his own imagination to keep him company.

It was a horrifying experience for poor George, and it gave Mrs. Gabriel quite a turn. On a positive note, it appears the Harrison family continue to rest in peace. You can find information about how to visit their grave here.

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