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Hey y'all! Midwest Muse is back for another week, and today we will be exploring Bachelor's Grove Cemetery. Just about a year ago, I was faced with the task of writing a research paper on a cemetery for a class. Having heard about the abundance of paranormal stories originating from a small, acre-wide plot of land, I chose to focus my paper on Bachelor's Grove Cemetery. I'll be discussing the history of this famous Midwest landmark and various reports of paranormal activity. I'm also including some photos I took when I visited this time last year!
Overview & Brief History of Bachelor's Grove
Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery is a small, acre-wide cemetery located in the Rubio Woods Forest Preserve, just north of Oak Forest and west of Midlothian. The cemetery is one of the oldest known cemeteries in Cook County, with the first burial taking place in 1838. Along with its age, the cemetery is widely known for its paranormal activity and is considered Illinois' most haunted cemetery. Stories of the “White Lady” and the “Disappearing House” are just a few of the tales that surround this little, abandoned cemetery.
It is widely believed that Eliza Scott was the first burial in Bachelor’s Grove, happening in 1844. Although this is the first recorded burial, the actual first burial in Bachelor’s Grove was of William B. Noble in 1838 according to an article from the Blue Island Sun-Standard in 1935: “The earliest date noticed in the cemetery was that on the tombstone of William B. Nobles who died in 1838 at the age of 36.” The last burials that took place at the cemetery are of Laura McGhee in 1965 and Robert E. Shields in 1989.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Bachelor’s Grove became a hotspot for vandalism and a popular hangout for local youth. The cemetery was often used as a "lover's lane" and a spot for drinking parties. Satanic rituals, grave desecrations, robberies, defaced headstones, and graffiti are examples of other activities that took place in the cemetery during this time. Before this wave of vandalism, Clarence Fulton, the cemetery trustee, described the site as a peaceful place, similar to a park, where visitors could enjoy activities like fishing or swimming in the adjacent quarry pond. Legend has it that the pond was once a dumping ground for bodies used by notorious figures like Al Capone and other Chicago gangsters during the 1920s and 1930s.
Clarence Fulton was the last independent cemetery trustee. His family were early settlers of the township, many of whom are buried in the cemetery. In 1976, the cemetery was transferred under the ownership of the Cemetery Trustees of the Cook County Board and remains so today. Currently, the cemetery is cared for by the Cook County Forest Preserve District, the Cemetery Trustees of Cook County, and the Chicago Archdiocese of the Catholic Church.
Bachelor's Grove Cemetery is very small; it only holds 81 plots, and most of them are missing headstones due to the vandalism in the 1960s and 1970s. The most famous grave in Bachelor’s Grove is that of Marci May Fulton, known as the “Infant Daughter.” She was the daughter of Bertand Fulton and Kathryn Vogt and was born and died in 1914 due to unknown circumstances. Her grave, located on lot #15, is the most well-known because many people bring toys, books, dolls, stuffed animals, blankets, and other children's things to her grave as tributes and offerings. Many people bring offerings and grave goods to tombstones throughout the cemetery, whether they are related to that individual or not. During my time visiting Bachelor’s Grove, I saw flowers and other grave goods at the headstones of the Shields Family grave, John Fulton, Jr., Marci May Fulton, Wheeler Family grave, McGhee Family grave, Richard E. Moss, and the Hageman Family grave.
Paranormal Sightings
The White Lady
The most famous story and paranormal sighting at Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery is of “The White Lady,” also known as “The Lady in White” or “The Madonna of Bachelor’s Grove.” Her first appearance, in 1979, was in a photo taken by a group of paranormal investigators. She was shown wearing a hood and holding a baby. The most famous photo of “The White Lady” was taken by Judy Huff-Felz in 1991. This photo was spread across the country, and it was published in the Chicago Sun-Times and the National Examiner.
According to the article “The Haunted Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery,” “legend says she’s looking for someone or something though it is never specified who or what.” There are two main hypotheses for who this figure is and what she might be looking for. One is connected to Marci May Fulton, the famous “Infant Daughter.” Marci May was the daughter of Bertand Fulton and Kathryn Vogt. The Fulton family, who were Irish, and the Vogt family, who were German, disagreed with their mixed nationality marriage. Because of this tension, Marci May was buried on the Fulton plot in Bachelor’s Grove instead of the Vogt plot in Zion Cemetery in Tinley Park, where Bertand and Kathryn were later buried. It is said that “The White Lady” may be Kathryn looking for Marci May.
Another theory is connected to Emma Fulton, whose gravestone was stolen in the 60s or 70s. Luella Fulton Rodgers, sister-in-law to Kathryn, was killed in a hit-and-run near Bachelor’s Grove just following her 60th birthday in 1937. As Emma's relative, she was buried next to Emma Fulton, and it is believed that “The White Lady” might have been Luella looking around for Emma’s stolen gravestone.
The Disappearing House
Another famous tale surrounding Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery is that of the “Disappearing House,” also known as the “Phantom House” or the “Magic House.” The house is described as a “white one-story Victorian house with a porch swing and a picket fence around it” and it appears “transparent with yellow-orange light in its windows that flickers as if from a candle” (“The Haunted Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery”).
Multiple people have reported similar sightings, including Bill Morton. He and a group of seven people saw a light in the middle of the woods that surrounded the cemetery. He writes, “10:35: Left [the] cemetery to follow a mysterious light that had appeared in the woods and at first appeared to everyone simultaneously to be a tall rectangular window in the second story of a house.”
Another account of this “mysterious light” is from Deanna Veyette Vaught: “Back in the 70s, I was riding in the car with my dad at night and saw a blue light in the trees. I asked my dad what it was, and he didn't know. I later found out in high school that people have reported the same light in the trees. They believe it came from a house that was once there that took in travelers. Whenever I think about seeing that blue light, it brings chills down my spine.”
Orbs, Ghost Sightings, and More
In addition to the stories of “The White Lady” and the “Disappearing House,” there are countless stories that include orbs, ghost sightings, bad feelings, tall figures, and more. Over two hundred stories are compiled onto the Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery & Settlement Research Center website. One of those is from Annmarie Crawford: “I took this photo in October of 2002. It is a shot of the path that leads to the cemetery. You can see that there appears to be a figure dressed in black walking on the path. When I zoomed in, I saw that there appears to be two figures.”
Others report of spirits grabbing onto them. Sean Abou mentions this phenomenon in his memory of visiting the cemetery with his father when he was sixteen: “My father had walked away and was standing outside the cemetery. I felt a hand grip my upper bicep area, and I ran as fast as I could out of the cemetery.” Another account is from Sophia Evans whose family were talking to spirits in the cemetery. Sophia’s sister felt a pressure on her arm which is recorded on video. They believe that this presence was Dora Newman, who died in 1948.
Aside from feeling and seeing things, there are also records of people hearing footsteps and other creepy noises. One record is from Stephanie Blum. She and her friends went to Bachelor’s Grove twice in 2007. The first time she went, they took a lot of pictures, and she notes, “There are a TON of orbs and random lights.” The second time she and her friends went, she said they heard footsteps: “There were footsteps following us, but we all pretended not to hear it so we could actually make it to the cemetery. We got in; it was broad daylight. I was VERY creeped out in there; we walked about 50 feet in on the path, and everything seemed okay. Then, to the right, there were fast-paced footsteps, and we all looked at each other like, "Did u hear that?!!?!" and we RAN out of there; the footsteps were like 2 feet in front of us!!! It was the scariest moment of my entire life.”
On the Bachelor's Grove Cemetery & Settlement Research Center website, there is a map that marks where paranormal phenomena have been reported around the cemetery. Each mark includes a description or story of the experience, and some even include videos!
Conclusion & More Photos
Whether you believe in the paranormal or not, Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery is famous across the United States, and for good reason. There are countless stories of paranormal activity taking place in and around the cemetery. Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery has become a cultural phenomenon since the 1960s when records of paranormal activity were becoming more prominent after a spiked interest in the field. As noted by Brad Bettenhausen, “few of these tales have any apparent basis in fact… it appears that many of these reports have greater basis in local folklore than in verifiable occurrences.” However, I would argue that these stories still provide us with valuable information on how stories spread throughout a culture and groups of people. There is no doubt that the cemetery itself is special, both in its often-overlooked history and because of the many stories arising from this little acre of land.
If you found this interesting, I highly encourage you to visit the Bachelor's Grove Cemetery & Settlement Research Center website. They have an almost endless amount of information on the place, and it serves as an internet archive for paranormal stories, photos, news clippings, and more. With that, I leave you with some more photos of the cemetery, and I will see y'all next week!
Sources
Abou, Sean. “Personal Stories.” Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery & Settlement Research Center, 18 Oct 2020, https://docs.google.com/document/d/10_MIBqkxEWKWuFtcDHu1WsVTjY5SnZJytqE2GPWXiEk/edit. Accessed 1 May 2024.
Bettenhausen, Brad L. “The History of Batchelor’s Grove.” Bachelors Grove Cemetery & Settlement Research Center, https://www.bachelorsgrove.com/history. Accessed 15 April 2024.
Blum, Stephanie. “Personal Stories.” Bachelor's Grove Cemetery & Settlement Research Center, 8 Sept 2007, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SPGu_daYchY2VDRnzcm3kjyxAOrXFjflqfsQ0OEy9Ug/edit. Accessed 1 May 2024.
Evans, Sophia. “Sophia Evans - Bachelors Grove Cemetery - July 26, 2015.” Uploaded by bachelorsgrove, 27 July 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvTWrPG5Qus.
Morton, Bill. “Bachelor’s Grove Investigation: Midlothian, Illinois.” Chicago Ghost Hunters, 11 April 2009, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UDnqnPT0PwvW6-wHULSx0hYJSc612iMXJHJZSaqcNWU/edit. Accessed 1 May 2024.
“Pioneers In Peaceful Rest, Bachelor’s Grove, One of First Cemeteries; Lies Serene, Undisturbed.” Blue Island Sun-Standard, 16 Aug 1935.
“The Haunted Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery: One Haunted Historical Acre of Boneyard.” Ghost City Tours, https://ghostcitytours.com/chicago/haunted-chicago/bachelors-grove-cemetery/. Accessed 1 May 2024.
Vaught, Deanna Veyette. “Personal Stories.” Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery & Settlement Research Center, 2 Dec 2009, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bc7gpS5tozX3b6bipLoKYMCGvbx5Bpwo-xjfhkXTE3c/edit. Accessed 1 May 2024.
What a well researched piece! It definitely sparked my interest to check out Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery!
So spooky and so fascinating!!!