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Maud's Gravestone
Hidden deep in the rock-strewn forests of Voluntown
lie the mossy ruins of a 17th Century homestead, complete with cellar holes, barn foundation walls, and the remnants of what
may have been a supply building. Among these ruins sits a simple gravestone, broken into many fragments, but which,
when fitted together like some garish necro-puzzle, spell out the name of "Maud".
The History
Among the few stories that are floating out in cyberspace
and in published works on Connecticut folklore regarding the gravesite of a girl named Maude, all seem to agree on a handful
of key elements.
According to most of the accounts, Maude was a Native American
girl, possibly pre-teen, who was accidentally or purposefully killed after being shot by English soldiers. This action,
according to the tales, caused a firestorm of protest from local inhabitants, the backlash of which resulted in the eventual
withdrawal of English occupying forces from the vicinity. This Maude is known by the nickname "Screaming Maude".
She was supposedly of a family of Pequots who were slaughtered by John Winthrop, Jr.'s men. The little girl wandered
the the woods crying. According to the New England Anomaly website: http://www.newenglandanomaly.com/journal/walking_weekend/walking_weekend.htm "The soldiers heard her, found her and then murdered her. Hunters and hikers in the area swear to this day you can
hear her screams in the woods." Another account from Ghostvillage.com states, "Maude Reynolds was about 4 or 5 when
she died from typhoid fever. Her family buried her close to the family home. Shortly after 2 or 3 brothers died
and they are buried across the street up the hill a ways. Eventually the farm ceased to run and the state purchased
the property. You can find the family well by the pond. If heading up the hill towards Voluntown, there is two
logging roads. The one on the left leads towards the house foundation, lilacs still bloom by this road. Across
from this if you walk the road about 100 ft on you left you'll find a small spring with stone pond. Quakers from New
London used to come and care for her grave that was repeatedly destroyed by local teens. They used to make her cement
crosses and come up a couple of times a year. After several years of the crosses being smashed and fires being lit I
think they may have given up." Alternately, the story above is also told in the following way, again from Ghostvillage.com:
"The legend goes that a native american family lived in that area and one day some militia soldiers stumbled upon them.
The woman ran away at the urging of her husband, but he and their children were caught by the soldiers and killed. The
indian woman saw this from the nearby bushes and her grief was so great that she started wailing, and the soldiers naturally
found and killed her too."
A second widely-circulated story revolving around the name,
Maude, is that of a middle-aged woman who was apparently accused and tried for being a witch. She was eventually hanged
and buried in the area around Hell Hollow Road. According to most accounts of the gravesite on Hell Hollow Road, it
can be found nearby a local pond and is deep within the wooded lands, marked only by a small pile of stones. The two
stories, while bearing the same victim name, appear to be two separate tales. This Maude is often referred to as "Witch
Maude".
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| Maud's Gravestone |
Maude's grave over the years has been linked primarily
to Hell Hollow Road and, in fact, has been said to be located near the end of this path. Searchers for the elusive gravesite
have complained that the site does not exist because they were ultimately unable to locate it. Others have claimed that
the site is indeed located upon Hell Hollow Road, but that it is marked by nothing more than a pile of stones (a la' Blair
Witch). Still others say that the site is not marked at all, but exists all the same.
In researching this tale, Creepy Connecticut
chanced upon a website http://www.pig-ne.com/031107.html which claimed to have exclusive photos of Maud's gravestone and, in fact, could direct others to the site. The group's
leader was most helpful and got back to us quickly. She explained that they had been telling many people and announcing
the true location on sites such as Ghostvillage.com but that, by and large, they were ignored.
The Investigation
We headed out to Voluntown to track down Hell Hollow Road and the famous
gravesite of the little girl named Maude. The day was overcast, threatening rain, but remained dry throughout.
We arrived at the highway (Route 49) that ran northward into Sterling and found the intersection where, on the left was
Hell Hollow Road, and on the right, Cedar Swamp Road. Curious to locate the gravestone before the daylight gave out,
we followed Cedar Swamp northeastward.
Within minutes, we came upon a small graveyard on the right.
It bore no name and was curiously well-maintained. The cemetery took the shape of a rectangle, its long sides parallel
to the road. The north end was the oldest portion, consisting of stones from the Seventeen, Eighteen and early Nineteen
hundreds. The south end was almost completely empty outside of a few modern stones. The gate on this end was nearly
brand new and looked to be rather expensive.
Within a quarter mile past the cemetery, there appeared
a firewood trail on the right hand side, barred by a metal barrier. The trees surrounding this entrance area were marked
with different lot numbers, presumably to identify the trees ready to be cut for firewood. We parked off road and hoofed
it down the narrow main trail. Five to ten minutes in, the trail took a dramatic turn downward toward a mostly dry streambed.
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| The dry streambed |
Fortunately for us, there had been no major storms in previous
days or else our trek would have ended. The streambed, when actively running would easily create an impassable road,
especialy considering that there was no formal bridge. What there was, however, was a stone causeway laid in the path
to facilitate the passing over water of heavy vehicles.
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| The Amish-style Bridge |
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| Close-up on the right side of the bridge |
The three flat stones weighed easily a half-ton each and
were laid fairly evenly in order to allow easy passage of wagon wheels without sinking into the silt. Had the stream
been running, we would not have been able to even view these stones. As it was, we were lucky, for this bit of masonry
craft allowed us to date the upcoming homestead site to the late Sixteen to mid-Seventeen hundreds.
Crossing the streambed, we continued on, climbing up a steep incline.
When we arrived at the plateau, we immediately noted a series of fieldstone and traprock walls arranged in tight squares on
the left. It was here that we found Maud's Gravestone.
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| Maud "Mallone" ? |
The Gravestone
The stone, as shown in the photos, was plain and worn. The words
and dates upon its surface were nearly unreadable. With a bit of work, as well as expertly using shadows and the tilt
of the camera, we were able to form the name "Maud" as well as the last letters of her last name. From what we
could make out, the last three letters are "ONE". There are a few individuals out there who believe that this stone
marks the grave of a woman named Maud Mallone (or Malone). They claim that this woman's name appears on the registers
of the township.
While the dates are up to debate, we have determined that they read
1647 to 1654 (or '59). The stone is fragmented into exactly ten pieces and one piece near the center has been removed
and could not be located in the area.
One glaring aspect of the stone was an almost immediate realization
by GHOST members that the stone is not an Eighteenth or Nineteenth Century grave marker. In fact, we allowed a Hartford
mason to examine the stone up close and personal and he quickly determined that the stone was between eight and twelve years
old. It is modern poured concrete and appears to be an amateur job (in other words, done in someone's own back yard).
While disappointed, we moved on to the rest of the site to ensure that
there wasn't something more interesting beneath the surface.
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| 1647 - 1654 or '59 ? |
The Homestead
The path continued straight to a small cellar hole, where it appeared
that the fireplace was on the left, entrance to the house on the path side and the entrance to the cellar on the right.
The foundation was old, but there was contradictive evidence of this due to the presence of modern appliances that had been
dumped here. A television, air conditioner, and several other devices were strewn on the road and around the cellar
hole, as well as modern building materials (shingles and tiles). Among these items was a multitude of canning jars for
preserves, as well as an old cooking pot (circa 1880). Across the path from the cellar hole was a series of low stone
fences that had several gaps, indicating that there were once gates, doors or openings in the structure. It was apparent
after a few minutes of close examination that this was the remnant of a barn and stable. All three structures were built
at approximately the same time.
As for the modern appliances, we were informed by some locals that
these were dumped there by people in the surrounding area. We found this kind of odd, considering the remoteness of
the locale. Why anyone would load up their vehicle with all these appliances and go out into the middle of nowhere to
dump them seemed sort of hard to believe. It seemed to us that it would have been a lot easier to just put them out
on your curbside for pick-up.
Conclusions
While initially disappointing, this trip was ultimately satisfying
in so far as we were able to dismiss a part of the so-called legend of Maude's Grave.
There has been some debate as to the name of the little Native American
girl. Some have questioned the validity of the story due to the fact that this Indian girl possessed a White European
name. In taking a moment to reflect, it is of important note to remember that early settlers in this land lived at peace
with the local tribes. In fact, French settlers were well-known to have become very close with Native American culture
and beliefs. It was not unheard of for a French trapper to take a squaw as his wife and for her to bear his children.
Often, it has been found that the Native American tongue was mingled with the French language to form a completely new and
unique spoken language. Some of these tribes were even named after the French family's name. The etymology of
the name, Maude, is French (Maud, being German). If this is the case, then the stories of a Native American girl
named Maude are not that hard to believe.
As for the prevalent Native American tribe in this specific area, these
were the Mohicans (Mohegans). According to a write-up found in The History of Connecticut (Myers), a narrow
tract of land was ceded to the Mohicans there in Volunton, but later, the town of Westerly, Rhode Island (modern-day Hopkinton)
acquired some of this land, angering the Native Americans who had been promised this area (Westerly, Rhode Island is also
intertwined in another famous Connecticut haunting story; that of the Seventh Day Baptist Cemetery in Burlington (otherwise
known as the Green Lady Cemetery). Sabbatarians from Westerly, led by Jared Covey, immigrated to Farmington West Woods
and founded their early settlement). Could the fact that Rhode Islanders absorbed this Mohican land have been the catalyst
for a backlash by the Native Americans? And, if so, were the royal English soldiers called in to "protect" the settlers,
killing the little girl named Maude?
In researching the town itself, some information did come to light.
In 1675, King Philip's War took place in Europe and some soldiers (or "volunteers") of that war migrated to the New World
to make their land-grab. Some veterans of this war were granted a 6 square mile tract of land by the Assembly in 1696
and began clearing it out for settlement. In 1700, the land became known as "conquered land" because it had been mapped
and subsequently taken from the native Mohicans. Later, in 1705, it was known as "volunteer's land", and in 1708, when
settlers arrived, they called it "Volunteer's Town." This name was shortened in 1777 to Volunton. Therefore, it
is known that English soldiers (or at the very least, former English soldiers) were in fact present in this area.
Hell Hollow Road, while easy to find, did not appear to be a trail
as it has been described in many paranormal write-ups. Hell Hollow Road was, in fact, a major road that intersected
Route 49 (Ekonk Hill Road). By the time we had completed our examination of the homestead site, dusk was upon us and
our attempts at finding the other reputed gravesite of Maude came to naught. While we were not able to visit the other
location, we will be returning in the near future, nonetheless.
Turning to the gravesites, we have come to some conclusions regarding
the two tales. We believe that the legends surrounding Maude are, in fact, one legend that has (much like the stone
we examined) fractured into many tales, each of which has taken on a life of its own.
Beginning with the tale of "Screaming Maude", we were not able to track
down any hard evidence about the Native American girl and her murder. This is not to say that the story is not true;
quite the contrary, we believe that the story is the more believable of the two.
The legend of "Witch Maude" professes that Maude was a woman who was
hanged for being a witch, but as most historians will attest, this is probably not a fact. What it may be is a fanciful
stab at fallacy.
What must be understood about colonial life in this day and age is
that the belief in witchcraft was not as strong as what is portrayed in Hollywood. In fact, while the deplorable practices
that were being carried out in 1692 in Massachusetts, others throughout the colonies were viewing these goings-on with
derision and ridicule. Many people outside of Salem Village (modern-day Danvers) and Salem Towne (modern-day Salem)
did not believe in witchcraft. The out-dated superstitions surrounding witchcraft had died in Europe more than a hundred
years before and the hysteria of the witch trials in the Massachusetts Bay Colony was an anomaly in the new world. People
simply were not hanged outside of the witch trial "ground zero" in Massachusetts.
One famous witchcraft case in Philadelphia involved William Penn as
the prosecutor.
Margaret Mattson and Yeshro Hendrickson, (Swedish women), had been accused as witches,
and the jury accordingly found a true bill. Absentee jurymen were fined 40 shillings each!
The first mentioned pleaded "not guilty" to the charge that she bewitched calves,
geese, etc., but that, while she could bewitch cattle, oxen were above her reach. Her daughter's suspicions and convictions
were given in evidence, but "the prisoner denieth all things."
Governor Penn charged the jury, which brought in a verdict sufficiently ambigious
and ineffective for such a dubious offense, saying they find her "guilty of having the common fame of a witch, but not guilty
in the manner and form as she stands indicted." The women were put on their good behavior for six months!
As to the gravestone itself, there are many questions.
First, we are of the opinion that the stone was placed here simply BECAUSE the locale was adorned with a rather old cellar
hole. In other words, the creators of the stone (or the recent discoverers of the stone) placed this stone at this location
because they believed it would stir up more of an interest in the grave marker.
There is a question as to the authenticity of the stone and this
poses problems. If the stone is a fake, then the authenticity issue is a moot point. This also means that the
claims about a small pile of stones (along the trail off Hell Hollow Road) being the actual grave of Maude may remain intact.
However, if the stone is a replacement of an earlier stone, then more
questions arise. In our assessment, a replacement stone would spring from one of two sources: a township wishing
to maintain its history, or a beneficent lover of antiquity.
If the stone was genuinely created by a person interested in keeping
the history of the legend alive, why has this person not come forward to explain such and reveal the location of the original
stone? Also, where are the remnants of the original stone?
If the local township ordered this stone to be made as a replacement,
why would it pay money in a contractual agreement with someone for a shoddy piece of masonry? In our eyes, any township
would balk at paying good money for a piece of concrete whose surface appears to be etched upon by a chimpanzee with a stick.
Wouldn't the township pay for a commemorative exhibit piece that would be placed in a more accessible location where history
buffs and interested passers-by might see it?
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| Sloppy work |
Seams on the stone seem to indicate that this was a very
hasty, sloppy bit of masonry (most likely created in someone's back yard). The wooden frame in which this concrete was
poured left indelible marks upon the bottom and side surfaces of the stone. Also, the stone was broken only recently
(within the last year or two) as the concrete appears very white and clean at the fracture points. It appears that someone
smeared mud, dirt and ash over the stone in an attempt to present an aged facade or to confuse or fool its discoverers.
As for the name on the stone, we can only assume that the
creator of the stone misspelled the name, Maude (forgetting the "E" at the end). There is some belief amongst groups
in the area who claim that this stone is the grave marker of a Maud Mallone (or Malone) who is mentioned in historic
township registers and records in the area. While we didn't find these references, it is possible that this is indeed
the name from such records. If this is the case, then the creator of the stone used the name exactly as it appeared
in these references because the first name matched that of the legend.
As for the dates, there has been some debate between different investigating
groups regarding whether or not the stone depicts Eighteen hundred dates or Sixteen hundred dates. After much examination
and many photographs and video (as well as a close look by a professional mason) we have concluded that the dates do, in fact,
show the Sixteen hundreds. That being said, it falls in line with the legends of both "Screaming Maude" and "Witch Maude".
If we take the Eighteen hundreds dates, then we must certainly dismiss
both of the legends, since the witchcraft phase occurred in the late Sixteen hundreds and the English soldiers phase ended
in the late Seventeen hundreds.
As recently as 2002, the stone appears to have been partially
in the ground, however. The following photo (courtesy of PIG-NE) shows the stone being held by someone after he had
pulled the stone up out of the earth where it had previously rested. If you look at the bottom part of this stone, you'll
see a discoloration that could in fact have been caused by having been submerged in the earth for a period of time.
The founder of PIG-NE explains that this photo was taken during a time when she was with another group, but that she disassociated
herself with the group because of practices such as this of defacing an historical marker. According to Tabitha, that
paranormal group no longer exists.
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| 2002 Photo of the intact stone |
Taking this photo into account, though, made us wonder
if this may just have been a concrete marker (like the ones mentioned in a Ghostvillage.com comment) brought to this area
by visiting Quakers. The fact that "concrete crosses" were mentioned had us scratching our heads.
As for the homestead, we have determined that the old cellar hole foundation
may have actually held more than one building. We have conjectured that the oldest structure may have been either completely
destroyed and a new one built over it, or the old was converted into a newer structure and was used by two or more families
before finally falling into disrepair and eventually ruin. Property records will be researched on this location to assess
what may have happened to the family that owned the land.
When all is said and done, the homestead and the gravestone are interesting
and worth the short hike into the woods. While we didn't get any interesting blips on our equipment, we plan on going
back for a second look at the whole place. Perhaps we'll find the missing piece of the puzzle.
GOOSEBUMP FACTOR: 0
Barry A. A. Dillinger
September 10th, 2007
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