Thursday, June 21, 2007

The Ghost of John Parkman

Let's go indoors on this first day of summer...inside where the ceilings are tall and the air conditioning is cool.

We have arrived back at Sturdivant Hall, the antebellum mansion that is Selma's showplace. This room is one of the parlors and features Victorian furniture and an Oriental rug...very typical for the time as many furnishings were imported from Europe.

Hmmm, I wonder if the
Ghost of John Parkman could be seated in the chair at the corner table or perhaps watching from the entrance hall. Shortly after we arrived, the great double front doors opened by themselves, and a breeze blew by...only our tour guide reminded us there was no breeze outside, just thick humidity that was as still as the angel statue over by the water garden. She greeted the moving air as if it was alive, even welcomed it!

Then she told us how the home's owner, bank president John Parkman, had been arrested during Reconstruction, something to do with speculating in cotton futures and losing the assets. He was taken to Cahaba Federal Prison and locked up as if he was a common criminal or heaven forbid, a ***Yankee! His young wife was left to manage the property and raise their two children. Their good name was tarnished. But friends worked out a plan. They would rescue Parkman by boat in the Alabama River, if he could just escape those walls and run for it!

He did escape! He did run for it! But he never made it to the boat. A guard shot toward him, and some say he died from the gunshot. Others say he just drowned in the river... so close, but just a few feet too far from freedom.

Now, a century and a half later, the ghost of John Parkman haunts Sturdivant Hall. But he holds no thoughts of evil. He just wanders the mansion looking for his long-lost family.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

So, the truth about Parkman's death remains a mystery? Was his body never found? Seems as though it should be a simple matter to tell whether a death was due to a gunshot or drowning, but I guess the truth might ruin the spookiness of the ghost story.

Steve Buser said...

Great house, great story.

Janet said...

Hi Annulla, I created a link to the Sturdivant Hall website that gives the facts about John Parkman. The sites states he drowned in the river, but it is also claimed that he drowned due to a gunshot wound. As for the ghost story, I have personally been in the mansion with my children when the double doors opened all by themselves and a breeze rushed in. The tour guides say this phenomenon happens frequently as well as chairs rocking, doors closing. I don't claim to have actually met the ghost, but my kids believed they did!

M.Benaut said...

A sad story, but WOW, what a magnificent mansion. Perhaps if you are nice to his ghost, it may groan or make a ghostly sound!

Victoria said...

Old haunted antebellum mansions are usually the first thing I picture when I think of the south. Thanks for this glimpse into one of them!

magiceye said...

Fascinating!

Anonymous said...

Great story! Seeing his house makes his history come alive.

Unknown said...

My name is jenna parkman and this is my cousin way down the line. This would be cool to visit......