A look into Belleville ghost stories

By Logan Somers ^[1]

BELLEVILLE– Everyone has a ghost story to tell and these are some of Belleville’s.

Surrounded by trees down Bridge Street W. sits the over 100-year-old Moodie Cottage.

Susanna Moodie ^[2], the author of such classics like “Roughing it in the Bush” and “Life in the Clearings”, moved to Belleville in 1840 and owned the cottage for a while.

Moodie Cottage not only holds stories of Belleville’s past, but some say the past still lurks in its halls.

Amanda Hill, archivist at the community archive in Belleville ^[3], told QNet News the story that started the rumours of ghosts haunting the cottage.

In 1844 John Moodie, the son of Susanna Moodie, drowned in the Moira River at the age of six.

Hill said his mother became very distraught after the loss of her son and began looking for ways to get him back even for only a moment.

“She then became very interested in spiritualism and there were a couple of people from Consecon, the Fox sisters, who were famous spiritualists of the day,” said Hill.

“They were later debunked as complete charlatans, but at the time they were very popular and she had them at her house.”

The group held séances at the cottage.

“She was trying to get back in touch with the boy she had lost.”

The story has created much interest from locals and tourists. Jacqueline Simpson, current owner of the cottage, said she has gotten countless numbers of people asking about ghosts over the years.

“You see a few busloads every year and then see a horse drawn carriage which someone has which brings people around.”

Simpson was asked about the ghost stories surrounding the home and said there’s no credence to it at all.

“The house is a very pleasant house,” she said.

The Belleville archives have put together a binder full of spooky and interesting stories. There are dozens of stories in the pages of the binder, but one sticks out more than others, the story of Sam Lewis Woodbridge Yeomans.

Yeomans lived in what is now Scalliwag Toys on Front St. in 1896. Hill said he was an owner of a drugstore and was a cod liver oil manufacturer. At five o’clock in the morning on Oct. 19, an explosion occurred destroying the building and killing Yeomans. The Intelligencer ^[4] reported on the story at the time saying it was the most disastrous and at the same time most melancholy fire.

The incident created many paranormal stories around the building. Some say they have heard noises when no one was there and seen figures in the basement where the explosion happened. In the 1990s the building was one of many places on the Belleville ghost walk tour.

Richard Belanger, Owner of Scalliwag Toys, said he has heard the stories, but hasn’t seen or heard anything himself.

“I don’t believe in ghosts at all. I mean it’s not just because I’ve never seen one. I just think I love reading ghost stories but I don’t think they’re real,” said Hill.

Hill said she believes the reason people find ghost stories so interesting is because it just gives you a thrill in reading something that makes you scared.

“They’re fascinating and I think as humans we are fascinated in the paranormal,” she said.

The ghost story people are most fascinated with in Belleville is the story surrounding Glanmore House ^[5].

Built in 1883 by wealthy banker J.P.C Phillips and his wife Harriet Phillips the house is now a historical landmark. The home was passed down through four generations before being turned into a museum.

You will find from a quick Google search ^[6] dozens of articles and blogs on the rumoured ghost roaming the house.

 

One family member said she saw a solider with a red tunic standing by her bed. On a different occasion she said her grandmother appeared and told her to clean the silver. Others reported the piano playing on its own, doors shutting randomly and black sheets floating.

Today many people have reported seeing lights turn on and people standing in windows when no one was there.

Melissa Wakeling and Rona Rustige both work at Glanmore House. Both say they have never seen anything.

They did confirm the family in the past did have a priest come into the house to sprinkle holy water and performed a rite of exorcism.

Another story connected to the house is how the Phillips’ son died at a very young age. People have reported seeing the boy in the house during visits. Many online have claimed he died in the home. Wakeling and Rustige confirmed the Phillips had a son and he did die, but debunked the story after saying it happened before the family moved to Belleville.

Both commented saying they can’t be sure what some of the Phillips members saw over the years because of how long ago it was. However, both believe the family may have played into the idea of the house being haunted.

They both added that they think they may have the answers to the stories of lights turning on and figures in windows. The lights at the home are motioned sensored and at times a car driving by shining its head lights into the home can cause them to turn on. The figures in the windows are mostly likely supplies they have in the attic, like a vacuum that has a sheet over it by one of the windows. Rustige joked that they should probably move the vacuum.

When asked how they feel about the ghost stories they said it has and most likely will always be part of the house in some way.

“It’s part of the oral history associated with the house. So, we recognize that,” Rustige said.

Wakeling added that the look of the house is also a big reason for the stories.

“Every haunted house in Scooby Do or the Addams family all look like this.”

Both said they have people asking about ghost all the time. Wakeling said, “It would be cool if there were ghosts,” but they haven’t seen anything.

In the end they said Glanmore is a historical landmark and a local museum.

“Our whole reason for being here is because we’re a national historic site and we’re the community museum,” Rustige said.

Wakeling added, “we want people to think of us as a museum. A place where they can come and learn things, discover things and have fun exploring.”