Bibliography of Pelham's Ghost Stories and Legends

Bibliography of Pelham's Ghost Stories and Legends

There are many, many references to ghost stories and legends regarding the Pelhams and surrounding areas that have been published in a wide variety of publications during the last 350 years. The bibliography below collects such references.

Barr, Lockwood, A Brief, But Most Complete & True Account of the Settlement of the Ancient Town of Pelham Westchester County, State of New York Known One Time Well & Favourably as The Lordshipp & Manour of Pelham Also the Story of the Three Modern Villages Called the Pelhams, pp. 143-44 (The Dietz Press 1946) (recounts two legends associated with the homestead of Col. Philip Pell III which was located where Cliff and Colonial Avenues are today and was destroyed in 1888: (1) George Washington slept in a room of the house on "several occasions"; and (2) ". . . when General Lafayette arrived at the Eastchester Inn, in the year 1825, on his way to Boston to assist Daniel Webster in laying the corner-stone of Bunker Hill Monument, he was advised of the death of his old friend, Colonel Philip Pell. General Lafayette learning that he was buried in St. Paul's Church Yard, requested the stagecoach driver to go past the Cemetery. After paying his respects at the grave, he continued a short distance and stopped at the old Pell homestead, greeting the son . . .").

Bolton, Jr., Robert, A History of the County of Westchester From Its First Settlement to the Present Time, Vol. I, ch. "Pelham", pp. 544-46 (New York: Alexander S. Gould 1848) (superstition associated with Pelham Neck saying it is lucky omen for the fish hawk (Falco Halitaetus) to build a nest on one's farm).

Bolton, Jr., Robert A., History of the County of Westchester, From Its First Settlement to the Present Time, Vol. I., pp. 434-35 n.a (New York: Alexander S. Gould, 1848) (citing A.B. Silliman, GALLOP AMONG AMER. SCENERY p.212 in describing the Fire Ship of Long Island Sound).

Bolton, Jr., Robert, The History of the Several Towns, Manors and Patents of the County of Westchester, From Its First Settlement to the Present Time Carefully Revised by Its Author, Vol. II, p. 37 (C.W. Bolton ed., Chas. F. Roper pub. 1881) (account of the headless Indians of Haunted Cedar Knoll in Pelham Manor).

Bolton, Jr., Robert, The History of the Several Towns, Manors and Patents of the County of Westchester, From Its First Settlement to the Present Time Carefully Revised by Its Author, Vol. II, pp. 71-72 (C.W. Bolton ed., Chas. F. Roper pub. 1881) (superstition associated with Pelham Neck saying it is lucky omen for the fish hawk (Falco Halitaetus) to build a nest on one's farm).

Bolton, Jr., Robert, The History of the Several Towns, Manors and Patents of the County of Westchester, From Its First Settlement to the Present Time Carefully Revised by Its Author Vol. II, ch. "The Town of Pelham", pp. 37-38 (C.W. Bolton, ed., Chas. F. Roper pub. 1881) (discussing a mossy rock that stood on the point of Hunter's Island that local Indians believed had been placed there by their God or Guardian, Manito).

Cushman, Elizabeth, Historic Westchester 1683 - 1933: Glimpses of County History, p. 18 (Westchester County Publishers, Inc. 1933) (describing unicorns supposedly seen in the interior of the country by local Indians).

Legends of Pelham, Sunday Tribune [New York], Dec. 15, 1904 (referenced in Hufeland, Otto, A Check List of Books, Maps, Pictures and Other Printed Matter Relating to the Counties of Westchester and Bronx 202 (printed privately by The Knickerbocker Press New York 1929)).

The Pelham Manor Story, p. 61 (Village of Pelham Manor 1991) (describing the legend of the young Indian maiden who ran to Pelham Dale and supposedly warned the owner of The Old Pell House before the Battle of Pelham that the British had landed and were marching inland).

Pryer, Charles, Reminiscences of an Old Westchester Homestead (G.P. Putnam's Sons NY and London, The Knickerbocker Press 1897) (pp. 6-12) (Chapter entitled "The Mystery of a Pelham Farm-House" tells the story of a farm house about a mile from Pelham Bridge that reports say was haunted in the mid-19th century and recounts the story of a family that moved into the home only to flee within two days after experiencing frightening events including the witnessing of a "pitiful" female ghost).

Shonnard, Frederic and Spooner, W.W., History of Westchester County New York From Its Earliest Settlement to the Year 1900, pp. 110, 112 (The New York History Company 1900, reprinted by Harbor Hill Books 1974) (quoting Van der Donck's 1655 edition in describing unicorns supposedly seen in the interior of the country by local Indians).

Village of Pelham, Village of Pelham ~ Centennial Celebration Walking Tour 1896 - 1996, pp. 19-20 (Village of Pelham 1996) (account of the elegant lady of The Old Stone House and her search for her hidden gold).