Ghost Tour of Bordentown

Tis the time of year for scary ghost stories, even if the weather is 70 degrees and lacks the necessary chill in the air to get your bones started. Seeing the warm forecast, Don and I went on the Bordentown Walking Company's Haunted History Tour.

Over the course of an hour, Joshua, our guide took us up and down Farnsworth Avenue, sharing stories from throughout its long history. I was intrigued enough by what I learned to want to return for their regular daytime history tour when I can more easily take notes and let their history sink in.

We learned about where Thomas Paine is buried, The Wreck, the White Lady, the Jersey Devil (which many towns in South Jersey claim to be the birthplace of), where a hospital was located during the Civil War, and where ghosts have been spotted by other ghost tour participants. The tour whetted my appetite to want to return in daylight to learn more about Bordentown's famous residents.

The creepiest part of the tour was when we stopped at the end of Farnsworth, right in front of Dave and Scottie's house. As my eyes got super big, the guide said people have taken pictures on the ramp leading down to the marina in which ghosts have appeared.

Whew! Their house is not known to be haunted.

That's when we paused in front of Thomas Paine's statue and learned a former friend, now admirer, dug up his corpse with the intention of bringing it back to England in order to be buried where he was born. Unfortunately England did not want him, so the friend brought him back and literally stuffed him in a closet intending to figure out another plan. A decade or two passed without that item being crossed off his to do list and Mr. "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" remained in the closet until the house was sold as-is. The new owner made a profit selling him off bit by bit. Citation for the story from the Library of Congress.

We learned about The Wreck -- when two trains collided in 1901 killing many on board.

We paused again in front of Dave and Scottie's home for another story, then continued around the corner to the other side of the house to learn another story. I confirmed their house was not standing during the Revolutionary War and there are no known ghost stories there. The White Lady can be seen looking for her lover. She used to live at the end of Farnsworth, married the man of her father's choice, and planned to run away with her lover. Instead her body was found frozen in the Delaware River. She continues to look for her lover.

The next stop was in front of the Masonic Temple, which we learned had been
turned into a hospital during the Civil War. Soldiers were transported by train from as far away as the Battle at Gettysburg to be healed, or amputated, or taken care of. I really thought Joshua was going to bring up Clara Barton, another famous resident of Bordentown, but, he did not. We did get a passing mention of Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother.

The day before I toured The Proprietary House in Perth Amboy. Our hostess told us of a ghost who does not approve of her holiday decorations and moves them around a bit.

Like I said, that time of year.