Marica may not appear as the type to have pursued ghost-hunting, yet there she was in Bellbrook, doing just that. Marcia’s instincts as a reporter led her to investigate phenomena that had no earthly explanations. Her skepticism soon became fascination and she couldn’t discount other people’s stories after witnessing a few bizarre happenings firsthand.
Marcia’s book, Transcending the Heart: When God Brought Me the Ghosts (soon to be renamed Seeker: From Skeptic to Believer) will captivate anyone who suspects there’s something beyond the universe other than what we can see or touch.
1911 Pearls of Wisdom
- A cold, wet May, a barn full of hay
- Rain before seven, clear before eleven
- Tea kettle suddenly sings means news
- Move in the light of the moon for luck
- Broad front teeth mean that one is generous
- If a baby does not fall out of bed, it will be a fool
- A group of bubbles on a cup of coffee signifies money
- If a child cries out during baptism, it is the devil going out of it
- At cards it is bad luck to play against the grain of the table.
- Water spilled on the doorstep means the coming of a stranger
- Whoever eats the last piece of bread on the plate will be an old maid
The Stranger
Unfortunately, the journey did not continue for the lovely woman. The man roused the innkeeper in the middle of the night and told him to fetch a doctor quickly, there was something wrong with his wife. Despite medical treatment, she died that night.
During this time period, it was not customary or required for guests to register or identify themselves to get a room for the night. Despite renting the room and receiving medical treatment, this woman’s identity was not revealed, nor was her husband’s. As the undertaker prepared for the funeral and presented the bill to the husband, he asked for their names. The traveler remarked, “I will pay you, but I will not tell my name.”
At every turn, he was asked again for her name, but again he declined to reveal their identities. Although they were certain he’d reveal her name for the tombstone, they were again denied. Instead, her tombstone was simply inscribed with:
A Stranger
Died Jan 4, 1851
Aged 24
Her kind and gentle spirit’s gone,
To a world of light above.
Adding to the mystery, flowers started appearing on her grave every Memorial Day. This tradition continued for years and was still occurring 81 years later in 1932 when Dayton Daily News reported on this story. The groundskeeper for Old Greencastle Cemetery, where she is buried, reported the flowers would mysteriously show up at the grave, but he never saw a person leaving them. A man with gray hair and long gray beard had been frequently spotted walking through the graveyard. Some speculated he was the husband, long since dead but making an appearance from beyond the grave to leave flowers. Could it have been the son leaving flowers on his mother’s grave? The question remains, who was this woman and why wouldn’t they identify her?
Dayton TikTokers
- Looking for a new place to eat in the Dayton area? Check out the restaurant reviews from Tiktok user @CrustyMcG.
- Learn about Dayton architecture and history with author of Lost Dayton, Andrew Walsh @daytonvistas
- @daytondotcom shares “What to know, What to do, What to Love” in Dayton
- @abet_artistry shares her life in Dayton
- @straightbussinfood tries restaurants in the Southwest Ohio area
- @natalie_reports is a food & dining reporter for the Dayton Daily News
- Explore Dayton with @girlaboutDayton
- Get news stories with @daytondailynews
- @fairbornone shares news and events in Fairborn
- Dayton-rooted @ohhanasun posts content from Dayton and Cincinnati
- @themiamivalleyexp spotlights small businesses in the Dayton area
Check out these businesses from Dayton with their own TikToks:
- @thedollarbookswap
- @roseomn04 – El Rancho Grande in Fairborn
- @baker.benji
Sara’s Appearance on WYSO Book Nook
To listen to her interview: Book Nook: ‘Murder in Victorian Dayton: The Tragic Story of Bessie Little’ by Sara Kaushal
Dayton Codebreakers – Sir Dermot Turing’s Visit
Desch and his team worked in one of NCR’s buildings decoding the messages using the American Bombe Machine and would then send the messages to Washington D.C. as intelligence. While working with the American Bombe Machine, Alan Turing – known for cracking Germany’s Enigma code – visited Joseph Desch in Oakwood and at the NCR building.
Retired RAF Captain Andrew Lloyd, along with the organization he founded, Oakwood Unsung Heroes, have been working to showcase this piece of history by having a City of Oakwood proclamation for the month of May to be Codebreaker Month, and they have an exhibit on display at Wright Memorial Public Library in collaboration with the National Cryptologic Museum.
On May 8th, the nephew of Alan Turing, Sir Dermot Turing, will be speaking at the Dayton International Peace Museum and at Carillon Park. For both events, tickets are free, but limited.
- May 8th at 11am @ Dayton International Peace Museum
- May 8th at 7:30pm @ Carillon Park
If you’re interested in reading more about this topic:
- X, Y & Z by Sir Dermot Turing
- The Codebreakers of Bletchley Park: The Secret Intelligence Station that Helped Defeat the Nazis by Sir Dermot Turing
- The Enigma Story: The Truth Behind the ‘Unbreakable’ World War II Cipher by Sir Dermot Turing
- Reflections of Alan Turing: A Relative Story by Sir Dermot Turing
- The Secret in Building 26: The Untold Story of America’s Ultra War Against the U-boat Enigma Codes by Jim Debrosse
Dayton Area Book Crawl
- Jay and Mary’s Book Center
1201 Experiment Farm Road
Troy, OH 45373 - Browse Awhile Books
118 East Main Street
Tipp City, OH 45371 - Around About Books
8 West Main Street
Troy, Ohio 45373 - New and Olde Pages
856 Union Boulevard
Englewood, OH 45322 - The Cozy Booknook
4720 South Dixie Avenue
Moraine, OH 45439 - Rabbit Hole Books
29 West First Street
Dayton, OH 45402 - Star City Booksellers
55 South Main Street
Miamisburg, OH 45342
Start your journey at any location and pick up a passport. Get the passport stamped at each location and be entered to win prizes! Make sure to stop in at New & Olde Pages for author speed dating from 1 to 3 pm. Sit for 3 minutes with each author and let them pitch their book or series to you.
Katt Williams to be Honored in Cincinnati
Williams was born in Cincinnati in 1971 and moved to Dayton with his Jehovah’s Witness parents. During that time, he learned multiple languages, including Creole and French, and he lived in Haiti for 18 months as part of religious missions. Williams emancipated himself from his parents at 13, then moved to Florida and supported himself as a street vendor.
Williams has found success through his stand-up comedy, acting, and music career. Although he has faced many legal issues, he has continued with his career and received an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his appearance on the show Atlanta. His “Heaven on Earth” comedy tour has dates across the US through November.
Another Wright Brother Bench has been Found!
Huffman Prairie & Simms Station
Dayton Unknown 