Hunting for Ghosts

Scholefield Family Tree

As as aside, these are the ghost stories associated with Widow Susan:

Amsterdam – Widow Susan Road – Figure of a woman wearing a white nightgown seen walking in the cemetery late at night crying. Looking for her husband’s grave.¹

Amsterdam – Widow Susan Cemetery – To start off, the story goes that at the top of the hill before the cemetery you are supposed to turn off your car head lights and as your coasting down the hill, you chant Widow Susan three times then turn on your lights and turn into the cemetery. Reports of cars not starting, something trying to open car doors from the outside. Words being written cars have also been reported.²

A report of her ghost has even been featured in the book by Renee Mallet: Ghosts of NY’s Capital District.

Facts regarding Widow Susan as researched by and presented on Ferlazzo’s site:³

• Widow Susan Road was named after Susan DeGraff
• She was born Susan Thomas about 1821 in Scotland
• She married Harmanus (or Armanus) DeGraff in Mar 1838
• Harmanus was born about 1800 and died around 1848, leaving Susan the farm and three or four children
• Their children: Helen M.; Alonzo H. (b. abt 1846 and married Mary M. Smith in 1875); Susan/Susanna D. (married Fred Miller on 24 Mar 1875)
• Widow Susan moved to Michigan with her daughter where they were enumerated in 1880
• She died 23 May 1892 in Michigan
• She is buried in Greenhill Cemetery in Amsterdam with her daughter Susanna

Ferlazzo’s report on his investigation into the ghost revealed that it is unlikely Susan haunts the cemeteries she is reportedly seen at because she was buried in Greenhill. Unless her spirit wanders along the road which carries her name. He questions this though because the reportedly haunted location is not near her home. He does then posit that since it is not known where her husband is buried or if he was possibly moved into a cemetery along the road (which did not exist when he died) she in fact could be haunting the location.

1. “Ghosts of Fury,” “I Love NY!!! …….ITS VERY HAUNTED……..,” Unsolved Mysteries, 22 Sep 2002 (http://www.unsolvedmysteries.com/usm298357.html : accessed 5 Sep 2009).
2. Central New York Paranormal Investigators Group (http://www.cnypig.com/statewide.htm : accessed 5 Sep 2009).
3. Vincent M. Ferlazzo, “Widow Susan Research,” NYPI [New York Paranormal Investigators] Blog, 14 Oct 2008 (http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=421615023&blogID=440855312 : accessed 31 Aug 2009).