Episode 28: The Witch of St. Omer Cemetery
Ghostly legends, however unlikely they may be, often hold at least a little bit of truth.
Episode Transcripts
When it comes to folklore, it’s no secret, that reality and the story being told frequently run parallel but never quite align.
In other words, these stories are often rooted in real events or cultural beliefs. However, as time begins to pass they undergo transformation through retellings, interpretations, and embellishments. Thus the power of folklore lies in its ability to capture the essence of a community’s identity, values, and fears.
One example of this can be found in the tale of "Robin Hood;" the legendary figure who stole from the rich to give to the poor.
The character itself is believed to have been inspired by various historical figures set against the backdrop of the ever-present social issues in medieval England. But, as the story was passed down through generations, it took on mythic proportions, making it nearly impossible to separate fact from fiction.
And then there’s the story of the headless horseman, which we of course discussed in episode 15. As we know, the legend of Sleepy Hollow is based on true events in a real-life New England town. But the story itself couldn’t be further reality.
Suffice to say, that the truth is never guaranteed when it comes to ghostly legends and lore. But all the same, we often can’t help but share the story anyway.
I’m Courtney Hayes and you’re listening to Haunts. Stay tuned…
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Imagine if you will that you are driving down one of the many back roads of rural Illinois—where the concrete jungle of Chicago is replaced with gravel lanes and farmland. This wide open space begins to ease your worries, replacing them with a sense of tranquility as you drive maybe a bit too quickly down the empty country road.
Before long, you make it to your destination—a small nondescript cemetery overgrown with wildflowers. And as you walk between the minimal rows of long-forgotten headstones, you begin to take in your surroundings.
As far as the eye can see, there’s nothing but trees and budding cornfields sprawling out in every direction. It’s hard to believe there was once a township sitting in this very spot.
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Established in 1852, the unincorporated settlement of St. Omer was never a sprawling metropolis. To be honest, even at its peak, the community was barely even a town.
Of course, the township had the essential establishments—a post office, a blacksmith, and a general store—which allowed it to function as an independent encampment. But in reality, St. Omer was home to no more than 50 families. Many of whom were quickly moving on to more prosperous opportunities.
But among the few who remained were none other than the Barnes Family. Who, if not for their final resting place, would likely have been forgotten alongside their decaying town.
Instead, they remain here—buried in the very cemetery where you are standing now. Their graves are marked only by a single concrete epitaph that has been puzzling the locals in Ashmore, Illinois for over a century. And it’s all thanks to the legend that’s carved in that very stone.
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What an odd little monument. It’s the first thing that came to mind when I initially stumbled upon the legend of St. Omer Cemetery.
Of course, there’s a sizable handful of gravesites scattered around the property—their crumbling headstones being the only remaining structures of the township that came before. But there is one in particular that really draws the eye.
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The Barnes Family Epitaph is a large globe-like stone monument, that is centered directly above the family’s four grave plots. Buried below is Marcus Barnes, who worked in St. Omer’s local sawmill during his life. Beside him are his parents, Granville and Sarah Barnes. Tragically the details of their lives remain enshrouded in mystery, overshadowed by the story of their daughter-in-law who lies somewhat restlessly beside them.
Caroline Prather was born into the St. Omer township in 1858. She spent her whole life right there just a few hundred yards south of the cemetery. As she got older, she eventually married Marcus Barnes and together they had two children who would carry on their legacy.
It was a simple life. One that likely wouldn’t warrant much more than a passing glance. But for her neighbors, Caroline Barnes with somewhat of an enigma. In fact, by the time she reached her twenties, she was believed to be a witch. And that of course, didn’t sit well with the townspeople of St. Omer.
So in February of 1882, Caroline Barnes was formally accused of witchcraft. She was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death, only Caroline had no plans of going quietly into that cold, dark night.
First, they tried to hang her, but Caroline stayed resilient. She continued to breathe long after the noose was tightened around her neck. So her prosecutors removed her from the tree; instead, sentencing Caroline to death by fire.
They gathered logs and built a wooden pyre with Caroline, confined in its heart. However, once the blaze began to ignite, they found that the flames were cool to Caroline's touch. A fact that once again left their captors in disbelief.
By now Caroline’s so-called neighbors felt that there was a little more that they could do. So instead of freeing the poor girl from the torture she had endured, they began to dig her grave.
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So the legend goes Caroline Barnes was buried alive by an angry pitchfork, wielding mob. Sadly, it was a sign of the times but here’s the real kicker: according to the headstone that sits above her family’s graves, the witch of St Omer was killed on February 31, 1882. Yes, you heard that right, it was a day that never happened.
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It was an insult, really, the headstone that they placed above Caroline’s grave. You see, according to local lore, at least, the mob who had accused her of witchcraft thought it would be fitting to create a grave marker in the likeness of a crystal ball balanced in a wood pyre. That way, anyone coming to visit the cemetery would know of the so-called devious acts that Caroline supposedly committed during her life.
But they didn’t stop there. As a matter of fact, they buried Caroline in a plot that faced east to west. A practice that goes against the Christian doctrine of burying the dead in graves that point north to south.
Then, to top it all off, her prosecutors engraved the epitaph—notating a date that never actually happened. According to one of my sources at least, Caroline herself had promised, as the mob formed in her final hours, that she would return on the 100th anniversary of her death. At which point she would seek vengeance for her untimely demise. So by their logic, if Caroline was killed on February 31st--a day that doesn't actually exist--then maybe just maybe the witch of St. Omer couldn’t come back to haunt them.
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Suffice to say, the townspeople who played a role in Caroline Barnes's death went above and beyond to ensure that she couldn’t seek revenge from beyond the grave. Although, as you likely guessed their efforts, here were made in vain as paranormal activity is quite common at St. Omer Cemetery.
Now, I will admit some of the alleged activity may be a bit too outlandish to be true. The epitaph, for instance, is said to glow ever so brightly on moonless nights.
I know it sounds like the beginning of a Grimm Brothers fairytale that is every bit as spooky as it is fictional. However, it is worth mentioning that the majority of the claims made about the St. Omer cemetery are backed by physical evidence.
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For example, film cameras in particular have trouble in the Cemetery. Unlike their more modern counterparts, classic cameras and Polaroids won’t develop pictures taken of Caroline Barne’s grave. Whereas digital cameras on the other hand have been successful in photographing orbs and strange lights around the grave site.
Beyond this more paranormal activity, the site is also popular among modern-day witches. In fact, practitioners will visit Caroline’s grave from far and wide— just to pay their respects in the form of offerings and rituals. Her grave is often surrounded by coins and other trinkets while the ornate ball and pyre are dyed with candle wax.
So it would seem that Caroline Prather Barnes has become somewhat of an inspiration. And as such her neighbors who have since been buried around her are likely rolling in their graves.
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By now, you’ve heard me say it 100 times: graveyards, cemeteries, and other places of rest are likely the least haunted places that we could discuss. I know it does seem counterintuitive. How could a place that harbors so much death not be crawling with the undead?
But put yourself in their shoes, if you had an eternity of time to kill, would you really bother spending it lurking 6 feet above your human vessel? No, I didn’t think so.
In light of that, I would like to once again focus our lens on the St. Omer cemetery—which as we know has gained a rather haunting reputation, even in spite of this proposed theory.
Okay, I’m sure you’re probably wondering: if cemeteries aren’t haunted, then where did this story come from? Well, like many of the haunts we’ve discussed up until now, the legend of the witch who is buried in St. Omer cemetery may be blown a bit out of proportion.
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Let’s consider what we do know. Fact: Caroline Prather Barnes and her husband, Marcus, were both real people. So were Marcus’s parents—all four of them living in the St. Omer Township during the mid-1800s.
In fact, the family is buried in Saint Omer cemetery and there is, in fact, a peculiar spherical headstone marking their graves. Oh, and this epitaph does have some, let’s say clerical errors, inscribed upon its face.
Now I hate to disappoint, but that’s pretty much where the truth ends, meaning that the remainder of this legend is more or less based in fiction. So before we end today’s episode, I think it’s only fitting that I share the real story of Caroline and Marcus Barnes.
As we know, Caroline and Marcus lived in Saint Omer back in the 1850s. They met when they were young, got married, and eventually had two daughters of their own. Although they were young when Caroline and Marcus passed, the girls carried on their spirit—with their youngest daughter Minnie living until she was 89 years old.
Sadly, Marcus was the first of their parents who met an untimely end—losing his life in a sawmill accident in December of 1881. Only a few months later, Caroline followed suit after suffering complications from pneumonia. It was on February 28th, 1882.
In the days that followed an ornate monument was erected. Engraved upon it were four names and four dates to commemorate the Barnes Family. Only in the case of Caroline a slight, albeit expensive, error was made. Thus igniting the legend that lives on to this day.
But what about the headstone’s overall design? Why model it in the likeness of a crystal ball? Well if you want my opinion, the answer to that question is quite simple. Ghostly legends, however unlikely they may be, often hold at least of little bit of truth.
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https://www.catholicdigest.com/amp/from-the-magazine/ask-father/what-does-rest-in-peace-mean/
https://www.gotquestions.org/rest-in-peace-RIP.html
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/st-omer-cemetery-witch-grave
https://medium.com/chicagoland-haunts/the-witchs-grave-of-st-omer-cemetery-350871b7c869
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/illinois/ghost-town-cemetery-il/amp/
https://michaelkleen.com/2021/06/22/the-st-omer-witchs-grave/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20455999/caroline-barnes
https://paranormalhousewifeblog.wordpress.com/2018/10/30/something-witchy-this-way-comes/