(800)295-3441 Buckeye State Paranormal & Haunting Investigators (800)295-3441

General Investigation Information
Investigation Number: 032208
Date of Investigation: March 22nd, 2008
Time of Investigation: 16:50-21:39
Type of Investigation: Training
Solar Conditions:
Lunar Information:
Weather Conditions:

Location Information
Description of Location:
 The homestead of General James B. McPherson

National Register of Historical Places

McPherson, Maj. Gen. James B., House
(added 1974 - Building - #74001619)
300 E. McPherson Hwy., Clyde

  • Historic Significance: Person
  • Historic Person: McPherson, Maj. Gen. James B.
  • Significant Year: 1831
  • Area of Significance: Military
  • Period of Significance: 1825-1849, 1850-1874
  • Owner: Private
  • Historic Function: Domestic
  • Historic Sub-function: Single Dwelling
  • Current Function: Domestic
  • Current Sub-function: Single Dwelling

The picture above is a sword that is reported to be the personal sword of General McPherson. There are some claims that this is actually a Confederate sword and not that of the Generals. BSPHI was able to research this sword with the help of Michael Simens form Michael Simens American Arms.

According to Mr. Simens this is indeed a Union Civil War 'Front Officers' sword. However some of the confusion may come from the fact that this is an import sword and not a US made (domestic) sword. But digging into the General's military career this also has an explanation. In 1858 he was a first lieutenant and in 1861 he was a captain. It is some what odd that a west point graduate would have an import sword but not uncommon. Further, the sword knot that is on the sword would not have been used by the General and most likely added after his death and it does appear to be made in the 'period'. The sword knot displays Confederate colors but this is most likely from fading of the Union blue.

Now for the interesting part- value. An insurance value would be $25,000-$35,000 and true selling price around $18,000-$24,000. Mr. Simens recommended that if there is not a notarized letter from the donor as to how they obtained to sword and any further information that can be collect that there needs to be one made and stored away in a safe place. As with all antiques it is very important to document the provenance of any item.
Elevation of Location:
 The elevation is 696 feet.
Investigators:
 Amity, Beth, Gene, Jill
History of the Home/Area:
 Sandusky County Auditor Parcel ID #325000000100
  • Transferred the Clyde Heritage League November 1st, 1995
  • Number of stories: 2
    • Total square footage: 2180 sq. feet
      • Lower floor area: 1205 sq. feet
      • Upper floor area: 629 sq. feet
  • Total rooms: 6
  • Improvements
    • Porch frame added since 1900
Activity Reported:
 Report of a young boy being pushed out of an upstairs bed.

Data Collected
Video Findings:
 none
Photographic Findings:
 none
Audio Findings:
  • mp3= cleaned
  • wav= unaltered

Classification Scale

 GL-1: Recorded in the upstairs bedroom opposite the road. There were two investigators in the room at this time. During the recording there were no investigator note made of a man made sound being heard.

GL-2: Recorded in the same bedroom as above. The audio is not clear enough to determine clearly what is being said. However, the Hz range is typical of most evp's.

AV-1: This recording was captured on a recording left running in what is thought to be the kitchen area.

AV-2: This recording was captured on a recording left running in what is thought to be the kitchen area. There were no investigators in the room during the time of the recording.

AV-3: This recording came from the bedroom facing the road side. It was recorded right after an investigator asked for a knock on the wall. The knock was heard by three investigators, however, the words were not heard at the time.

After listening through the above files you can use the drop down menu below to see what we think the evp might be saying and also what classification would fit the evp.
Personal Experiences:
 none
Equipment readings:
 EMF readings were a steady 3 to 5 due to the age of the location. Read article for additional information.

False Positives
Video:
 none
Photographic:
 none
Audio:
 Many audio recordings of traffic noise.

Conclusions
Investigation Summery:

Major General James Birdseye McPherson

- Chronology -

  • 1828 Nov.14 James B. McPherson born in log cabin. East Maple Street (Rt. 101)at bend of road. Present Clyde Ohio. - then Hamcr's Corners.
  • 1830 Cabin burned, family moved to William house. ( Dunigan House ).
  • 1835 Moved to Gillilcn house, south - cast corner of Maple Street & Rt. 20. Attended school in log school house in present cemetery. Later attended Dewcy School on West Maple Street.
  • 1841 Went to Stcmtown, (now Green Springs) to work for Robert Smith.
  • 1844 Joined Methodist Church at Hamcr's Corners.
  • 1847 William McPherson, his father, died at Harrier's Corners.
  • 1848- 9 Attended Norwalk Academy, Norwalk, Ohio.
  • 1849 July 1 Entered West Point Military Academy. Studied military engineering.
  • 1853-54 Taught military engineering at West Point.
  • 1854-57 Assigned to fortifying New York Harbor.
  • 1854 Dec. 18 Promoted to -Second Lieutenant, Corps of Engineers.
  • 1858-61 In charge of fortifying San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island, California.
  • 1858  Dec. 13 Promoted to - First Lieutenant.
  • 1859  Spring Met Miss Emily Hoffman of Baltimore who was visiting her sister, Mrs. Louis McLane in San Francisco, California.
  • 1860  Nov. 6 Abraham Lincoln elected president of United States.
  • 1861 Apr.12 Fort Sumtcr, Charleston, South Carolina, attacked. Civil War began. Emily Hoffman's mother forbade her to marry a Northerner.
  • 1861 Aug. 6 Promoted to - Captain, Corps of Engineers.
  • 1861 Aug.30 Arrived at New York City, sent to Boston, in charge of forts in Boston Harbor, and recruiting of engineers.
  • 1861 Nov. 12 Promoted to - Lieutenant Colonel, Additional Aide - De - Camp to General Henry alleck, St. Louis, Missouri.
  • 1861 Dec. Reported to General Henry Halleck in St.Louis, Missouri.
  • 1862 Jan. Transferred to General Ulysses S. Grant's staff as Chief Engineer.
  • 1862 Feb. Mississippi Campaign began. Pittsburgh Landing, Shilo Church, Corinth, McPherson in command.
  • 1862 May 15 Promoted to - Brigadier General of Volunteers.
  • 1862 Oct. 8 Promoted to - Major General of Volunteers.
  • 1863 Jan.  Placed in command of the 17th Corps, Ulysses S. Grant's Army of the Tennessee
  • 1863 Feb. Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi.
  • 1863 Aug. 1 Promoted to -Brigadier General U.S. Army.
  • 1863-64 Occupation of Vicksburg, Mississippi. McPherson in command.
  • 1864 Mar.26 Left Vicksburg, Mississippi on furlough, to be married to Emily Hoffman, in Baltimore, Maryland. At Carlo, Illinois a telegram canceled his furlough, ordering him to Chattanooga, Tennessee.
  • 1864 May Union troops began movement east. Resaca, Kennesaw Mountain.
  • 1864 July 7 Movement against Atlanta, Georgia began.
  • 1864 July22 Union troops cast of Atlanta, Georgia. McPherson killed in action about 2:30pm Friday
  • 1864 July29 McPherson funeral held in Clyde, Ohio.

Monuments to General McPherson

  • 1867 Oct. 18 Equestrian statue in McPherson Square, Washington, D.C. - Dedicated
  • 1868 Dcc.15 Evergreen Cemetery renamed McPherson Cemetery by Village of Clyde
  • 1877 May23 Site of death acquired for a monument.- Atlanta, Georgia.
  • 1881 July22 Pedestrian statue in Clyde, Ohio - Dedicated.
  • 1917 July 4 Equestrian statue in McPherson, Kansas. - Dedicated.
  • 1941 Aug. 9 U.S. 20 through Ohio named as The General McPherson Highway, Clyde, Ohio. - Dedicated
  • 1974 Oct. 18 McPherson Home added to National Register of Historical Places, Clyde, Ohio. - Dedicated
  • 1994 Oct.14 U.S. 20 renamed as General McPherson Memorial Highway. Gibsonburg, Ohio. – Dedicated

Notes on the McPherson House

Compiled by Thad B Hurd, July 1959

  • 1817-Sept.27 Indians sold land to the USA which included this property
  • 1822-May 9 East half of Clyde sold by USA to Albert Guinall
  • 1823-April William McPherson arrived on foot in Green Creek Township from near Canandaigua, NY, in company with Norton Russell, Lyman Babcock, James Birdseye, and his son Nathan. All bought land in the township. William buying 160 acres just north of the corporation and east of Main Street (SW1/4 Sec12). Here he built a cabin (McPherson Birthplace) and began clearing land.
  • 1824-February William returned to Ontario County NY,on 4 March 1824 he married Cynthia Russell, sister of Norton and William Russell
  • 1824-August William and Cynthia began journey to Ohio
  • 1824-Sept. 11 They arrived at the cabin
  • 1825  William operated a blacksmith shop near his cabin: Shop stood where the Dunigan barn now is.
  • 1826 William Bought several tracts of land in northeast Clyde from Albert Guinall.
  • 1827 Turnpike completes. William may have moved his blackshop near it at the time.
  • 1828-Nov 14 James Birdseye McPherson born, first child of William and Cynthia
  • 1830 Cabin burned in winter of 1830-1831
  • 1833-June 5 Lot of 300 E. McPherson Highway sold to John L Gillilen by James Guinall for $50. Gillilen was a brother-in-law of William McCleary of Clyde; both were carpenters. House probably built that summer.
  • 1835-June 5  This house and lot sold to William McPherson by Gillilen for $650. William and family moved in, was his home the rest of his life.
  • 1841-March  James McPherson left home, went to work in Robert Smith store in Stemtown (Green Springs)
  • 1847-Sept.16  William McPherson died at home
  • 1849-May James McPherson entered West point
  • 1864-July 22  General James B. McPherson killed in Battle of Atlanta
  • 1864-July 29 Funeral at home with his mother, who now lived across the Pike. Billy McPherson and family occupied the old home
  • 1864-August 6 Cynthia McPherson sold the home to Henry Williams
  • 1866-Feb.20 Property sold by J.R. Williams to Henry Zielley
  • 1866-March 5 Henry Zielly transferred it to Thomas H. Zielley
  • 1902-March 20 Thomas Zielly died and the property passed into the family of Mrs. Wagoner,who with her husband, Neil H Wagoner now own and occupy the home.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
  • 1974-October 8 Listing on National Register BLDG # 74001619 OH. Historic Inventory

Most historical quote:

To the Confederate captain in the party which had shot McPherson, and asked “Who is this man lying here?”

“Sir, it is General McPherson. You have killed the best man in our army” - Col. Robert Kingston Scott
In our opinion, based solely on the evidence collected at the
time of this investigation we believe this location to be:
X No paranormal activity
_ Paranormal activity, but not enough to consider it a haunting
_ Residual Haunting
_ Intelligent Haunting
_ Benevolent Spirit
_ Malevolent Spirit
_ Benign Spirit
_ Inconclusive
Case Status
_ Follow-up recommended
X Case Closed

Additional Notes
General Photographs:
Related Web Sites:
Presentation Materials

The first presentation was Presented by Beth Santore from Grave Addiction

The first presentation was Presented by Gene Lafferty from BSPHI
Investigation Lessons Learned:
 The biggest lesson that was learned was to not assume that an area will be quieter after dark. During the daylight hours there was not enough traffic to notice. However, after the sun set the traffic level increased to the point that the investigation was almost impossible.

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