Former Knox County Resident Recalls Haunted Houses Near Oaktown, Edwardsport


Subject: Hauntings in Knox County
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 21:11:30 -0500
From: "Steve LeSieur"

Mr. King,

I lived in Knox county most of my life. I now live in Delaware. Two of the houses I grew up in were haunted. One was located outside of Oaktown, out in the middle of nowhere. It has since been torn down, or burned, I'm not sure which. It was a two-story, white farmhouse which sat about half a mile off the road. There was a big barn as well. We rented this place, and as far as I know, were the last people to live in it. There were two bedrooms upstairs, which my brother and I had, and my parents slept downstairs, in what was probably the parlor when the house was built. That room had a fireplace, and was always cold. Even in August (and this house never knew central air!), that room was cold enough to raise the hair on your arms.

The worst part of this story is that (except for one incident), nothing ever really happened. It just felt like you were being watched all the time, and that whoever was watching didn't like you. I had terrible dreams, and would not stay in the house alone. My mother would wait for my younger brother to finish morning kindergarten, then go visit her mom, because she couldn't stand to stay there alone either. Once, when I was brushing my hair getting ready for school (second grade), something pushed my arm. I felt it, but nothing was there. I moved, and looked all around, but never saw anything. It scared me completely.

The other house was outside of Edwardsport. It was another farmhouse. My dad was building two bedrooms in the attic. One night I awoke from a sleep and heard something being dragged across the attic floor. My brother and I shared a room at this time. I whispered to him, "Did you hear that?!" His frightened reply of "yes" made me feel better. At least I wasn't going crazy! They say that remodeling often brings out any spirits in a place. I had always felt someone "else" in this house. My parents bought it after the older man who lived there died. This wasn't a feeling of fear, though. I was never really afraid in that house. I like to think that maybe the old man who had lived there was happy that a family was living in his old place.

My parents live in Edwardsport now, but that house doesn't have any extra "personality".

I love the web site! Thanks for having the perfect place to tell my little stories!

Lana B. LeSieur