Ghost of Queen Esther facts for kids

Queen Esther (pronounced EH-stur) was a Native American woman from the Iroquois people. She lived in Pennsylvania in the middle of the 1700s. Her village was home to more than 500 people. It was located near the towns of Sayre, Pennsylvania, Athens, Pennsylvania, and Waverly, New York.

The Story of Queen Esther

Queen Esther was deeply saddened by the death of her son. In response, she led a group to a nearby farm. Historical records say that a man named Arthur Van Rossum and his wife Janna were killed on September 27, 1778.

A group of 200 soldiers was formed. They were led by Colonel Thomas Hartley. This group traveled up the Susquehanna River to Tioga Point. They eventually reached the hilly area where Queen Esther lived.

A Difficult Battle

Colonel Hartley and his soldiers met Iroquois warriors. A fierce battle began. After many hours of fighting, the Iroquois warriors had to retreat. They were outnumbered by Hartley's soldiers.

Queen Esther quickly learned that her warriors had been defeated. She tried to escape with the women and children from her village. They hoped to reach the Chemung River by hiding in the nearby forests.

Historians have different ideas about what happened next. However, many believe that Hartley and his soldiers caught up with the villagers. They were forced to march to a nearby pond. The women and children were lined up by the pond. Many were killed while Queen Esther was forced to watch. Their bodies were put into the water. This prevented them from having the proper burial that the Iroquois people practiced. Queen Esther was also killed. Early reports say that screams could be heard from Athens, which was several miles away.

Queen Esther's Curse

One soldier who served under Colonel Hartley kept a journal. His writings led to a belief that the area where Queen Esther was killed is cursed. He wrote about Queen Esther's final words. She supposedly placed a curse on any white settlers who would live on the land.

Since the early 1800s, people living in the community of Queen Esther have reported strange things. They say they hear unexplained screams from the nearby forests. Many believe these are the spirits of the villagers who were killed.

Mysterious Sightings

There are also stories from hunters. They claim to have seen a young girl crying while hanging from an oak tree branch. When hunters try to get closer, she suddenly disappears. She leaves no trace that she was ever there.

Hunters also say that after seeing this, their hunting weapons sometimes fail to work. They must check their weapons carefully before using them again. Some people believe this is Queen Esther. They think she is trying to prevent more people from being harmed.