13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey facts for kids
Cover from the 2nd edition
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| Author | Kathryn Tucker Windham Margaret Gillis Figh |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Jeffrey |
| Genre | Folklore |
| Publisher | Strode Publishers |
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Publication date
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1969 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 120 pp (1st edition) |
| ISBN | 0-8173-0376-6 |
| OCLC | 16834379 |
| Followed by | Jeffrey Introduces 13 More Southern Ghosts |
13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey is a famous book first published in 1969. It was written by folklorist Kathryn Tucker Windham and Margaret Gillis Figh. The book shares thirteen exciting ghost stories from the state of Alabama in the United States.
This book was the very first in a series of seven "Jeffrey" books. Most of these books feature ghost stories from the Southern states. The "Jeffrey" in the book's title refers to a friendly ghost that supposedly lives in Kathryn Tucker Windham's own home.
Contents
The Story Behind the Book and Jeffrey
The beginning of the book explains how Kathryn Tucker Windham became interested in ghost stories. It all started with strange things happening in her family home in Selma. Windham believed a spirit was causing these events. She named this spirit "Jeffrey."
At first, her family would hear footsteps in rooms that were later found to be empty. A picture, believed to be of Jeffrey, is even included in the book. This photo was taken inside the home. One night, some young people visiting the house decided to try to contact Jeffrey. They used a Ouija board to do this.
When they developed the photos taken that night, a shadowy, human-like shape appeared. It was right beside a girl in one of the pictures. Soon after this happened, Windham contacted Margaret Gillis Figh. Figh was well-known for collecting ghost stories. Windham wanted to ask her about Jeffrey. From that meeting, the idea for 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey was born.
In the book's introduction, Windham mentioned there are many ghost stories in Alabama. However, she wanted to pick stories that had been "entertained many generations." She also wanted stories that were "a treasured part of Southern folklore." Windham looked for tales where she could describe more than just the ghost. She also wanted to show the community and daily life of the people who first reported the haunting. She spent as much time describing the people and places as she did the ghosts themselves.
Spooky Stories Inside
Here are some of the ghost stories you'll find in the book:
- The Ghost of the Angry Architect (from Rocky Hill Castle)
- Death Lights in the Tower (from Dr. John R. Drish House)
- The Faithful Vigil at Carlisle Hall
- The Specter in the Maze at Cahaba
- The Phantom Steamboat of the Tombigbee (about Eliza Battle)
- The Unquiet Ghost at Gaineswood
- The Face in the Courthouse Window
- Mobile's Pipe-Smoking Captain
- The Return of the Ruined Banker (from Sturdivant Hall)
- The Hole That Will Not Stay Filled (about Bill Sketoe)
- Huntingdon College's Red Lady
- The Crying Spirit at the Well
- The Dancing Ghost of Grancer Harrison
The Book Becomes a Musical
13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey has even been turned into a stage musical! Don Everett Garrett and Kevin Francis Finn created it. Kathryn Tucker Windham approved the musical. She even saw its first show in October 2010, before she passed away. The musical is now available for schools and arts groups to perform.
See also
In Spanish: 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey para niños
