"Little Mary's Grave" has been the most popular ghost story in Jackson for well over 100 years. Legend has it that Little Mary McNaughton - born in 1884 - "died" a month before her 8th birthday of peritonitis, brought on by a ruptured appendix. She was then buried.....but unknown to the doctors, she was still alive. Upon request by her mother, the grave was dug up and the coffin opened, only to discover scratch marks on the inside of the coffin lid - caused by little Mary who was frantically trying to claw her way out.

Over the years, her cries have been heard - along with the sound of scratching coming from the ground and the sight of her ghost over the gravesite. Years ago I visited that cemetery and actually heard scratching sounds coming from a headstone...NO LIE. It was around midnight and I remember hearing this scratching sound down by my feet. I shone the flashlight down on the tombstone, thinking it was maybe a leaf being blown across the stone. No leaf and the scratching continued. I got down on my hands and knees to see if I could determine what was making that sound. Was it a large bug walking across the stone? NO. A leaf, weeds or grass? NO. I put my face right down in there, just inches away from the stone, frantically looking for an explanation. There was none...just unexplained scratching. This happened well over 40 years ago and I have never forgotten.

To read the complete tale of Little Mary, CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE DETAILS.

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