An American explorer, a deed, a ghost, a Mansion and me.

Category: Getting my garden started | Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:42 pm

I'm not sure where I should post this, or even if I should post it here on a gardening web site. However it might be of interest to some. And, some one here might know something of this, and can help me out. I am somewhat of a history buff, and have been doing some of my own research of late, and Yesterday I turned up some things with a somewhat macabre historical twist.

It all starts out a few years ago, when Mimi and I were getting ready to remodel our lake home. During the clean out process prior to demolition, we came upon an old trunk in the attic. Going through the old trunk I found what turns out to be a copy of an "Indenture" of the historically questionably "Carver deed". Jonathan Carver was an English speaking explorer, among other things, and in 1776 just prier to the beginning of the American Revolutionary war, he set out to map and log his explorations and locate the North West passage. He traveled down the Fox river from Green Bay Wisconsin, the Wisconsin river to the Mississippi river, and up to what is now St. Paul, Minnesota. He was supposed to get re-supplied there, but the supplies never arrived. So he returned to Fort Michillimackinac by way of the south shore of lake Superior. There he found a new commander, that was not sympathetic to Carvers mission. Carver went on to England leaving his family behind in Connecticut. In England he attempted to sell his maps and logs of the expedition to raise money. There was little interest. Carver married again, although he still had a wife and children in Connecticut. He wrote a book with someone unknown, that helped make his tails interesting. He attempted to sell shares of land that he was supposedly owner of in Wisconsin. Unfortunately Carver died at 48, a poor miserable man. After his death, and for nearly one hundred years there after, Carvers heirs and those that held shares, attempted to gain position of what they felt was their land. Although many were aware of it, no one could locate the deed.

Skip ahead now to 1900, or so, in northern Wisconsin, a man built a fishing lodge and several small cabins on West Bay Lake. He operated the small business for about 15 years. In 1917, a wealthy Chicago businessman purchased the property and rebuilt it into a Mansion. "Summerwind" was it's name. Some time in the mid 30s the Mansion was abandoned suddenly. Stories of ghosts and hauntings started to spread. Another family purchased it in 1941, and soon there after suddenly left. More stories of ghosts. From then until now, 5 families have attempted to live there, and all 5 families suffered financial difficulties and Ghostly encounters and left suddenly. The stories go on and on, I could write pages if I included all of them. One man that lived there wrote a book about the Ghost entitled "The Carver effect". You see the ghost is supposed to be Jonathan Carver, looking for his lost deed. In 1988 Lightning hit the old place and it burned to the ground. Visitors today say that there is an unexplainable eerie drawing force when you come to visit the ruins. and some report visions of a woman in white on the grounds.

It turns out that the mansion, Summerwind, is only a couple miles from our house in Land O' Lakes, and is renowned as the most haunted house in Wisconsin. So there it is, We find an old "Indenture" of a questionable deed in our attic in Land O' Lakes that gets me interested in Wisconsin's history, and then interested in Carvers history, and then on to England where the deed is recorded in the records of the plantation office, White Hall London, under the rule of George the third King of England and then a twist, to a haunted house supposedly haunted by Carver, looking for his lost deed, and it turns out the haunted house is only a couple miles from my own house. What to make of all that. It starts in Land O' Lakes goes full circle and ends in Land O' Lakes. And it's all true, well the ghost part is open to debate I guess, but really??? How bizarre.

Tom

Last edited: Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:01 pm

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Frank wrote on Sat Mar 22, 2008 12:52 am:

Very interesting Tom and perhaps if you are so inclined quite chilling also. What shall you do with the indenture?

CritterPainter wrote on Sat Mar 22, 2008 2:41 am:

That's what hooks people on history! You find something, and it leads to something else... that's how I found out that, on the distaff side, where my first-and-middle name has been passed down, I am connected to a castle in Scotland. It sounds like you have quite a mystery to explore there, (though I tend to blame bad plumbing more than ghosts, lol!) Do let us know if you learn anything more about the history of your house, I love that stuff!

Calomaar wrote on Sat Mar 22, 2008 4:06 am:

Frank, I think that I am going to have the pages enclosed in laminate and framed. I'll display them on the wall, near the bar, to provoke conversation, so that I can show off my new found historic knowledge. I'd also like to read the book.

Droopy wrote on Sat Mar 22, 2008 7:31 am:

Isn't curiosity a wonderful thing? I'm glad you followed the trail and got to learn all those interesting facts. Especially since you shared them with us.

SongofJoy57 wrote on Sat Mar 22, 2008 6:05 pm:

Oh my, Calomaar . . . you have quite a tale there! And I do love history also . . . Thank you for sharing with us . . . I wonder how the deed that you have got into your attic . . . was the trunk originally yours also???

Calomaar wrote on Sat Mar 22, 2008 7:44 pm:

Songofjoy57
It is my belief that it came from my wifes grandfather, he was the original owner of the home, and was quite a collector of American Indian and historic artifacts. After his death most of his collections were donated to museums in the area. I'm glad that this one was missed. It has provided me with a great deal of new knowledge, and time well spent.

glendann wrote on Sun Mar 23, 2008 2:41 am:

I love anything about historyTom .That to me would have been so much fun in the fact finding .I also ghost stories.That would for sure ensnare me to lok and look to fact more facts .Its also weird it all came full circle.