Lee Baker Hodges House Investigation

In 1821 Greene County, Illinois, was organized and the newly platted town of Carrollton became its seat of government. That same year, J.W. Skidmore, merchant, erected a tow-room building on the northwest corner of the public square. In December, 1821, the county commissioners allowed that he be paid $4.00 for the use of his room for holding court. Samuel Lee purchased the building and the two lots with the intention of adding on it to the south. One of its most esteemed men, Lee served the county in its early years as county clerk and recorder, circuit clerk and justice of the peace. He married 16-year-old Mary Ann Faust, sister-in-law of Mr. Skidmore, in 1824. Before his grand house could be completed, Samuel Lee died in September, 1829.

Lee's will directed that "the brick mansion house I have recently commenced in Carrollton shall be finished to the use of my wife Mary Ann Lee." His plans were carried out to his specifications, possibly by Moses Stevens, builder of the second county courthouse across the street in 1832. The one-and-a-half story house in the Federal style which resulted became the home of Lee's widow and their two small children. On April 27, 1831, Mrs. Lee married Edward Baker, a young lawyer, who later became a close friend of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, where the Bakers moved in August, 1835. The next year they sold their "brick mansion house", as described in the deed, to Orange Heaton. Moving to California in 1852 and then to the new state of Oregon in 1860, Edward Baker was elected U.S. Senator.

At Lincoln 's inauguration in March, 1861, Baker, known for his oratory skills, made the shortest public speech of his career with these words: "Fellow citizens, I introduce to you Abraham Lincoln, the President-elect of the United States." With the outbreak of the Civil War, he organized the California Regiment and was commissioned its Colonel. He was killed October 21, 1861 during the battle of Ball's Run, Virginia.

Charles Drury Hodges bought the Lee-Baker mansion in March, 1850 from Orange Heaton. A lawyer and merchant, Hodges served as county judge, circuit judge, representative in the U.S. Congress and Illinois state senator during his long public service career. About 1854 Judge Hodges added a second story to the east part of the original Lee house, incorporating it into a two-story Italianate style wing. With its wide front veranda and its yard enclosed with a wrought iron fence (both now gone), the imposing Victorian structure was a Carrollton showpiece.

After Judge Hodges' death in 1884, his family continued to make it their home until Mrs. Hodges died in 1899. The following year their son Beverly C. Hodges converted the family home into the Hodges Office Building. He ended the 70-year ownership of the house by the family when he deeded the property to Dr. N.D. Vedder in 1921. For most of the 20th century this 19th century house has been host to numerous businesses and professional services, including lawyers, dentists, doctors, and insurance agents.

A gradual deterioration began to plague the old brick edifice until 1970 its very existence was threatened. In 1975 Attorney William Vogt and then the Greene County National Bank bought and transferred the historic house to the Greene County Historical and Genealogical Society in 1982. Efforts begun in 1978 to place the house on the National Register of Historic Places were renewed in on November 3, 1980 when such designation was bestowed. The society is a volunteer, no-profit organization dedicated to preserving some of the past of Greene County in its museum, its family files, and its Brick Mansion House.

The house gradually deteriorated into the 1970s, until its very existence was threatened. Thanks to historical preservationists, the house was saved and added to the National Historic Register in 1980. Since then, it has become home to the Greene County Historical and Genealogical Society and, if the stories are to be believed -- a number of resident ghosts. A number of eerie reports have circulated about the old mansion over the years, including sightings of a child who has been seen in one of the bedrooms, another child that vanishes just inside of the kitchen door, bright lights, weird sounds, footsteps, a mysterious voice that has been heard throughout the house, loud knocks that come in threes -- and much more!

Hauntings: Many eerie reports have circulated about the old mansion over the years, including sightings of a child who has been seen in one of the bedrooms, another child that vanishes just inside of the kitchen door, bright lights, weird sounds, footsteps, a mysterious voice that has been heard throughout the house, loud knocks that come in threes -- and much more! A strange picture was taken by another paranormal group in an upstairs mirror in the Victorian Bedroom that clearly showed a female figure however the person became so spooked by the picture that it was erased before it could be copies. Also EVPs and voices have been recorded and heard.

In the oldest part of the house people would hear a baby crying, the spinning wheel would turn by itself, shadows can be seen and you can hear voices. The German dining room set people have heard music coming from the old Victrola.

The Coal Shoot Room is where numerous EVPs have been recorded, strange shadows have been seen and activity has happened behind the door. The Spinning Room K-II and high EMF and sometimes the attic door opens by itself. The Uniform Room is where male voices have been heard in the past.

Address: 532 N. Main St. Carrollton , IL . 62016, 217-942-6013

The Ghost Research Society investigated the Lee Baker Hodges House on July 30, 2011. Team members included: Stan Suho and Dale Kaczmarek. We were assisted by Jeanne Chilton, Mike McElhiney and Chris Chrum from PRIOM and Loren Hamilton and Casey.

Personal Experiences:

I believe that I heard a disembodied female voice in the upstairs hallway while we were conducting an EVP session in the room next to the Uniform Room. It was in fact picked up on the digital recorder as a faint two syllable or two word whisper.

Equipment setup: The Command Center was set up in the large room opposite where all the artifact displays are. G.E.I.S.T. was placed in the dining room by the German Dining Room set along with the Ghost Microphone and GhostCam. I placed a full spectrum camera in the Victorian Bedroom facing the mirror where the apparition had been photographed in the past. Another static IR camcorder was placed in the oldest room in the house where the spinning wheel was located along with an EM Pump.

Experiments performed: EVP sessions were performed in the Victorian Bedroom, Spinning Room, Coal Shoot Room and a room adjacent to the Uniform Room. In addition, Mike went upstairs into the attic during our EVP session in the Spinning Room.

Evidence Collected:

Background voice.MP3 – during an EVP session in the Weaving Room when the group was walking around and giving Mike some equipment in the attic, voices can be heard in the background.

Behind.MP3 – during an EVP session in the Coal Shoot Room a question was asked, “What is the significance behind this door over here? Why is there activity?” The Ovilus in phonetic mode responds with “Behind” A follow is asked, “Is something behind that door?” The Ovilus responds “There are.”

Both.MP3 – during an EVP session in the Coal Shoot Room a question was asked, “Are you afraid to communicate with us or you don’t feel like it?” The Ovilus responds with, “both.”

Eli.MP3 – during an EVP session in the Spinning Room a question was asked, “Can you tell me who you are?” The Ovilus responds with, “Eli.”

Hallway whisper.MP3 – during an EVP session in the Coal Shoot Room Dale heard a whispering voice coming from the hallway. It sounds like two words or a two syllable word.

High-pitched sound.MP3 – during an EVP session in the Weaving Room a high-pitched sound is heard followed by Jeanne asking if Stan was moving.

Knock.mpg – during an EVP session in the room adjacent to the Uniform Room a question was asked, “Can you knock on the wall like this?” Jeanne knocks three times and a loud rap immediately follows her third knock.

Letsgo.MP3 – during an EVP session a question was asked, “Is there anyone here with us?” The response sounds like, “let’s go.”

Notscaredofyou.MP3 – during an EVP session in the Weaving Room the Ovilus suddenly says,” I not scared of you.”

Scream.MP3 – during an EVP session in the Weaving Room a disembodied scream in heard in the background.

Stairwell.MP3 – during an EVP session in the Weaving Room the Ovilus says, “Attic, stairs, up, stairwell.”

Stopit.MP3 – during an EVP session in the Weaving Room a question was asked, “I’m going to get out a different box to see if it’s easier for you to talk to us. Ok?” The Ovilus responds with, “Stop it, go back.”

Talkover.MP3 – during an EVP session a question was asked, “Are you a man or a woman?” Something talks or screams over the word man.

Uniform.MP3 – during an EVP session in the Weaving Room a question was asked, “What branch of service were you in?” The Ovilus responds with the word, “uniform.”

Whisper.MP3 – during an EVP session in the Coal Shoot Room a question was asked, “Knock if you’re a woman…” A faint female whisper is heard in the background.

Yesido.MP3 – during a Frank’s Box session in the room next to the Uniform Room a question was asked, “Do you want to talk to Stan?” The response was, “Yes I do.”

Conclusions:

I personally believe we had some very good communication with some intelligent spirits especially in the Weaving Room and Coal Shoot Room. There were direct responses on both the Ovilus and Frank’s Box to specific questions asked. There were many equipment fluctuations especially on Jeanne’s EMF devices and K-II meters but none with the Tri-Field Natural EM Meter or REM Pod. There were no abnormalities captured with digital photography, video or full spectrum but a number of interesting EVPs. This place is definitely worth a follow-up investigation sometime in the future with more cameras, equipment and investigators.

There may have been something leading us to the attic due to the responses we received with the Ovilus while in the Weaving Room. The name Eli was mentioned immediately when a question was posed as the name of the entity that we were communicating with. Further research will have to be conducted to see if there is any Eli connected with the building. Eli Whitney did invent the cotton gin and we received that response when we were in the Weaving Room.