by Chad Alan

 

"Moonshine and Madness"

The Major Graham Mansion - Max Meadows, Virginia

 

The Graham mansion, built in the 1700's, is surrounded by a dark history.  Its original owner, Joseph Baker, was mutilated by his slaves who used an ax to slice his skull right down the middle of his face.  It's said these same slaves added his body parts into moonshine before they were hung by the local authorities.  Major Graham later bought the mansion with his wife Martha Graham.  Maybe it's terrible past caught up with Martha because she became so insane that she was shackled to the wall in the basement where she would eventually die.  It's almost a foregone conclusion that the old lady that is constantly seen on the property is Martha, still trapped in her own house.  Dark shadow ghosts are also a common occurrence at the Mansion.  Chairs move and items have been violently been yanked from the walls.  Sounds of footsteps and the voice of a young girl have also been reported. 

 

TAPS co-founders, Grant Wilson and Jason Hawes, were the first to enter the mansion.  They immediately tried to make contact with Martha Graham.  They found a room that was set up as a play room for a young girl.  They started to read from a children's book and were encountering multiple sounds after each sentence was read.  The sounds turned into a voice that did sound like a young girl trying to make contact.   When they replayed their audio tape the voice seemed to say "Come and play!"  An audible scratching noise coming from an old doll house caught their attention.  The scratching occurred a few more times before they left.  

 

Amy Bruni, Adam Berry, and Britt Griffith started their investigation in the slave's quarters and hoped to make contact with Samuel and Robert, the slaves who killed the original owner.  They heard a few whistles but nothing to keep them in the building that much longer.  Next stop was the Mansion basement, which looked more like a dungeon.  This is the place where Martha was held captive because of her insanity.  On one of the walls was the writing of Martha, who wrote simply to pass the time while held as a prisoner.  They, nor did any other team member, experience any paranormal activity while investigating down there.

 

Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango headed to a room called the "Confederate Room" which was a small room in the upper part of the house that was used as a secret meeting place for Major Graham and Confederate soldiers during the civil war.  Martha has appeared in this room multiple times to visitors.  Jay and Grant had noticed some strange movement and noises in the room earlier in the investigation.  Adam and Amy believed they heard the giggle of a young girl while there later in the investigation.  The room was inactive to them so they headed down to the dining room where a chair is said to move by itself and objects fly off the wall.  A "guttural" sound got their attention, as if somebody was trying to form a sentence.  They tried their best to provoke the spirits but could not get any more paranormal activity to occur. 

 

TAPS seemed to believe there was paranormal activity on the property but did not feel there was anything the current owners and visitors should be scared of. 

 

 

Ghost Hunters airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on Syfy. 

 

(Image courtesy of Syfy)

 

 

Contact Chad Alan at [email protected]