Digital photo evidence at end of report

Investigation Site
Magnolia Manor Bed & Breakfast
481 North Main Street
Bolivar, Tennessee 38008
731-658-6700

Site History Reported by Rich Ervin

Magnolia Manor Bed and Breakfast is located in Bolivar, Tennessee, approximately 65 miles east of Memphis on Highway 64. The house was originally situated on a 25 acre lot and had a detached kitchen which was adjacent to the house. This building also served as living quarters for the cook and other scullery servants, all of whom were slaves. There was also a gardener's quarters, a barn and two other slave quarters. The house itself is of English design, consisting of two floors and a basement with a total interior space of approximately 4500 square feet. The house was constructed of slave-made brick and all walls, including the interior walls, are at least 13 inches thick. The first floor includes a formal dining room, gentlemen's and ladies' parlors and a master bedroom. The second floor has two additional bedrooms on one side of the hallway and a bedroom with a parlor on the other side.

The house was constructed by the highly respected Judge and planter, Austin Miller, in 1849. In 1862, the city of Bolivar was occupied by Federal troops prior to the battle of Shiloh. During this time, the Miller Mansion as it was known then, was commandeered by the Union Forces senior command staff of Generals Grant, Sherman, Logan, and McPherson. It is believed that the plans for the battle of Shiloh were drawn up here, probably in the formal dining room downstairs. Most of the Union officers comported themselves in a gentlemanly manner except for General Sherman. A family legend was passed down that during breakfast one morning, General Sherman made the comment that, " All Southern women and children should be exterminated." Mrs. Miller had been present when Sherman made this remark and was horrified. General Grant, upon seeing the effect the remark had on Mrs. Miller, ordered General Sherman to apologize, which he did. This threw General Sherman into a rage. He immediately retired to his quarters on the second floor, but paused long enough on the landing of the stairwell to gash the banister with his saber. Even though this banister has been sanded and re-finished, this cut is plainly visible today, a testimony to Sherman's fit of anger.

Judge Miller had a son named Charles. When Judge Miller died, the house was passed down to Charles who had one son and three daughters. The son and one daughter died in the late 19th century and after Charles Miller died, the house went to his daughters, Annie and Lizzie Lea. Annie was known to be abrupt and plain talking which was not appreciated by some of the society of Bolivar. As a result, she was shunned by some of them because of this. The people who took the time to really come to know her found that she was intelligent and had a kind, generous heart. It has been said that if you made the grade and became a friend of Annie Miller, you had a friend to the end. Lizzie Lea had a markedly different personality. She was extremely friendly and talkative. Also very intelligent, Lizzie became an attorney. This was practically unheard of at the time! The ladies lived out their lives in the old family house. Lizzie Lea predeceased her sister, and Annie passed in 1972.

Since there were no male heirs, the house left the Miller family after 123 years. The house fell on hard times as the next owner was neglectful. When Elaine Cox, the current owner of Magnolia Manor as it is now called, purchased the house in the late 1980's, it was in a great state of disrepair. During the subsequent 20 years, Mrs. Cox painstakingly restored the fine old house to its original beauty and opened it as a bed and breakfast in 1995. The colors and patterns of wallpaper and all paint colors match the originals, as do all the fine furnishings. Mrs. Cox has done an exceptional job on this restoration which also encompassed the old kitchen cottage, a virtual wreck when she bought the property. Today, it is a finely furnished cottage equipped with modern conveniences.

Staying at Magnolia Manor is like taking a journey back in a time machine. It's a wonderful place to stay in a beautiful setting, but even this is truly out shined by the courtesy and charm of the owner, Mrs. Cox. She is a true example of Southern womanhood at its finest and a gracious hostess. We highly recommend a visit at Magnolia Manor. Who knows? You may also see a ghost during your stay!

Eyewitness Reports of Paranormal Activity

Elaine Cox, Magnolia Manor's owner, witnessed an apparition sighting in the den which was the original dining room of the house. She noticed movement near a mirror and saw a dark figure coming towards her. With pistol in hand, Mrs. Cox was preparing to shoot the dark figure until it disappeared at the threshold of her bedroom.

Several years ago, a male guest literally fled the 1849 Room upstairs one night and locked himself in the upstairs hallway bathroom. He had gone to bed early and was awakened by the sound of the door opening. When he looked up, he saw a young girl standing the doorway who approached him, tugged on his shirt and then disappeared. When asked to describe the girl, he replied that she looked exactly like the girl in the portrait below who is believed to be Priscilla McNeil, a relative of the Miller Family, the original owners of the house.

Previous MMSGH Investigations
We have investigated this Bed & Breakfast three times in the past and have photographed moving light anomalies and recorded several EVPs during previous overnight visits. We have also personally witnessed physical phenomena such as a door swinging open and a skeleton key rattling in the front door lock late one night when there was no one on the front porch. Southern Phantom also experienced an odd sensation in the Cottage which felt like someone was playing with the hair.

MMSGH Investigators Present (all four nights)
Michele King, Southern Phantom, Rich Ervin and Mervin

Also Present (on 10/31/05)
Charly Kayle from WMC FM100 radio in Memphis

Equipment Used
Michele Sony CCD-TRV58 Hi8 analog IR NightShot video camcorder and Sony MP120 8MM video cassette tapes, Kodak DX7630 6.1 megapixel digital camera, Kodak DX4330 3.1 megapixel digital camera, GE analog micro-cassette audio recorder with external microphone and Panasonic normal bias micro-cassette audio tapes
S. P. Sony CCD-TRV75 High8 Analog IR NightShot video camcorder with Sony HVL-IRH2 extender light and Sony Hi8MP video cassette tapes, Sony DCR-TRV460 Digital8 IR NightShot video camcorder with Sony HVL-IRM IR extender light and Sony Hi8MP video cassette tapes, Olympus C-5000 5.0 megapixel digital camera, Kodak HD high definition disposable camera with 400 speed film, Marantz PMD221 analog full-size cassette audio recorder with and external Radio Shack 33-3013 microphone and TDK D120 normal bias audio tapes, Sharp MD-SR60 digital mini-disc recorder with external microphone, CellSensor Ghost Meter EMF meter, Telko S003M IR motion detector, Sacagawea gold dollar coin, Papermate ink pen, paper, antique Eckel's aluminum spirit trumpet (circa early 1900's)
Rich Custom-built proprietary Electromagnetic Tri-Field Computer Logging System, GE 3-5027A analog full-size cassette audio recorder with Radio Shack 33-3013 external condenser microphone and Maxell normal bias audio tapes, Sony M-455 analog micro-cassette audio recorder and Panasonic normal bias micro-cassette audio tapes, Panasonic RR-QR 120 digital audio recorder, K-11 EMF meter, CDV-715 1A Radiac meter (Geiger counter), Radio Shack 22-325 non-contact IR thermometer
Mervin Fuji A205 2.0 megapixel digital camera, K-11 EMF meter

Investigation Conditions
Weather
Friday Night 10/28/05 Unknown
Saturday Night 10/29/05 37 degrees F, Clear
Sunday Night 10/30/05 Unknown
Monday Night 10/31/05 40 degrees F, Scattered clouds
Humidity
Friday Night 10/28/05 Unknown
Saturday Night 10/29/05 89%
Sunday Night 10/30/05 Unknown
Monday Night 10/31/05 47%
Solar X-rays
Friday Night 10/28/05 Normal
Saturday Night 10/29/05 Normal
Sunday Night 10/30/05 Normal
Monday Night 10/31/05 Normal
Geomagnetic Field
Friday Night 10/28/05 Unsettled
Saturday Night 10/29/05 Quiet
Sunday Night 10/30/05 Quiet
Monday Night 10/31/05 Unsettled
Moon Phase
10/28/05 Friday Night Waning Crescent, 16% visible
Saturday Night 10/29/05 Waning Crescent, 11% visible
Sunday Night 10/30/05 Waning Crescent, 6% visible
Monday Night 10/31/05 Waning Crescent, 2% visible
Pollen
Friday Night 10/28/05 .09 (very low)
Saturday Night 10/29/05 1.5 (low)
Sunday Night 10/30/05 Unknown
Monday Night 10/31/05 .03 (extremely low)

Investigation Report

Friday night, October 28, 2005

After arriving at Magnolia Manor on Friday evening, Rich and Southern Phantom swept the entire house for moving electromagnetic fields (EMF) using our two favorite models of portable meters. Rich's proprietary custom-built Electromagnetic Tri-Field Computer Logging System was placed in the 1849 Room upstairs. No usual fluctuations or spikes were noted on any EMF equipment during the course of the four night investigation.

During their EMF meter sweep, Rich and S. P. both smelled the strong scent of cloves in the downstairs dining room although Mrs. Cox, Magnolia Manor's owner, said there were no cloves in the house.The odor was confined to an area no more than a foot in size approximately. After a couple of seconds, it was gone from the dining room. However, it was detected again fleetingly on the stair landing and also upstairs. Around the same time, Michele and Mervin were standing in the upstairs hallway when they heard the handle on a dresser drawer rattling for a few seconds in the 1849 Room. No one was in the room at the time. Mervin was also told by a tour guide that the overhead lights in Mrs. Cox's private living quarters downstairs and that the kitchen lights had also turned off and on during this time period.

When the team investigated the Cottage which was used as a detached kitchen during Civil War times, Southern Phantom also reported the sensation of someone playing with his hair. Every time, we have investigated Magnolia Manor, S. P. experiences this same paranormal phenomenon which he says feels like someone is gently running their fingers through his hair! A tour guest also reported having the same experience in the Cottage during the house tour.

After the 9 PM tour had ended, Michele, Rich, and Mervin decided to drive back to Memphis around midnight leaving Southern Phantom to sleep alone in the 1849 Room, the location of an apparition sighting several years ago. S. P. placed an IR analog video camcorder and an IR digital video camcorder in the room to document any paranormal activity while he slept. He also placed an analog tape recorder and microphone near the portrait of Priscilla McNeil hoping to record EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) spirit voices. Finally, he placed a "trigger object" coin on the mantle underneath Priscilla's portrait to see if it would be moved during the night. S. P. took numerous digital photos in the room and captured bright, vibrating light anomalies in the immediate vicinity of the portrait (see photos below). No other paranormal events occurred during the night that he was aware of, and the coin had not moved when he checked it early Saturday morning.

Saturday night, October 29, 2005

After the two nightly tours of the house were completed, Michele retired alone upstairs to the 1849 Room, and Rich took the C. A. Miller Master Suite across the hallway. S. P. decided to sleep in the Ladies' Parlor downstairs where one of the tour guides had witnessed a bright moving orb shooting across the floor earlier in the evening. This lady had actually seen the orb with her eyes. She said that she was afraid that if it had it her, it would have knocked her down! She also smelled cloves in the parlor for a very short time prior to this incident. Around midnight, S. P. placed an IR analog video camcorder in the far end of the room and focused it on the area where the lady had seen the orb hoping to capture it on video. The Ladies' Parlor is now used as a dining room, and S. P. also recorded audio there by placing an analog tape recorder on the dining room table. Due to the late hour, he forgot to place a "trigger object" in the room. No unusual activity was noted during the night, and he slept peacefully in his sleeping bag on the floor.

Sunday night, October 30, 2005

While the 9 PM tour group was exiting the C. A. Miller Master Suite on the second floor, Mervin saw a shadow figure move across the door opening. Checking the room for tour guests, Mervin could not find anyone in the room and the shadow figure was no longer visible.

Later Sunday night, Michele retired to the 1849 Room again and Rich took Annie's Room, adjacent to the 1849 Room. After going to bed, Rich noticed that Michele and S. P. were still up taking photos out in the dark hallway after he saw their camera flashes through the crack around the door. As he looked toward the door, he suddenly saw a bright light anomaly, about half an inch in diameter, come out of the wall above the door, travel very rapidly for about six feet and then disappear into thin air.

After talking to Rich, S. P. sensed that he should go back to the downstairs dining room with his sleeping bag and sleep on the floor on the side of the dining room which was originally used as the Gentlemen's Parlor. This is the room where it is believed that Union Generals Grant, Sherman, Logan, and McPherson planned the Battle of Shiloh. S. P. placed an IR analog video camcorder to monitor the area where the visible orb had been observed on Saturday evening, but found out later that he should have pointed it in the opposite direction! After tuning off all of the lights in the dining room and shutting all of the doors, S. P. went to sleep around 12:30 AM. Exactly at 2:32 AM, he was awakened by a bright light in the room. Sitting up, he expected to see Mrs. Cox, the owner of Magnolia Manor, standing at the end of his sleeping bag, but no one was in the room! "Someone" had turned on a small antique lamp in the corner of the room near the foot of S. P.'s sleeping bag. After staring at it in disbelief for about a minute, he got up and switched the light off, and it did not come back on again during the night (see photos below).

MMSGH team members repeatedly tried to debunk and recreate the lamp phenomenon on Monday morning. However, they could not find a natural explanation as to why the light turned on by itself since the design of the light switch requires a lot of force to push it through the switch mechanism. The light is either pushed "on" or "off", and there is no halfway point in the switch mechanism. In our opinion, this was definitely a paranormal event and reinforces our belief that Magnolia Manor is truly haunted. S. P. also recorded analog audio in the room that night. The "trigger object" coin which he placed in the room was not moved during the night.

Monday night, October 31, 2005 (Halloween)

MMSGH team members, Michele, Southern Phantom, Rich and Mervin were joined by Charly Kale from FM100 in Memphis. Rich reported seeing a luminous object about a foot long sweep rapidly past a window in the rear of the C. A. Miller Master Suite. He had no explanation for this event and ruled out the possibility of light reflections from the street because of the placement of the windows.

The team was definitely growing weary at this point! After the last tour was finished, Rich and Mervin left around 11:30 PM, and S. P. decided to return with his sleeping bag to the Gentlemen's Parlor to see if the lamp phenomena would repeat itself. Before he retired for the night, Michele and Charly joined him around 1:00 AM at the dining room table for an EVP question and answer session using S. P.'s analog tape recorder. Upon walking into the dining room, Charly reported that she had just had a paranormal experience in the 1849 Room upstairs! She said that she had laid down to take a short 10-15 minute nap and felt someone gently waking her by either pushing on the side of the bed near her feet, sitting on the edge of the bed or pushing down on it strongly several times. Thinking it was Michele, Charly woke up and said, "Thank you." There was no one in the room! She said that she felt energized and realized it had been exactly 10 minutes since she had gone to sleep!

S. P. brought out a new piece of "equipment" for the first time during this final night of investigations, an antique spirit trumpet, circa 1900, which he recently acquired through an eBay auction. Spirit trumpets were commonly used in seances around the turn of the last century, and we are curious as to whether or not this rare paranormal artifact will enhance our chances of recording EVPs. S. P. also laid a "trigger object" coin on the same table where the lamp had been manipulated to see if the coin would move and then monitored the coin up close with his IR analog video camcorder. He also placed his IR digital video camcorder farther back in the room to monitor both the lamp and coin. The coin did not move and the lamp did not turn on again during the night.

During all Four Nights

Numerous digital photos and about a dozen 35 mm photos were taken by team members throughout the four nights of investigations. Photos of very bright or moving light anomalies which might indicate possible paranormal activity were captured by digital cameras several times in the upstairs 1849 Room and outside in front of the house (see photos below).

Digital Photo Evidence
Light Anomalies digitally photographed at the site

Left to right above
First Photo Bright light anomaly in motion taken in the front yard near the street. Digital photo by Southern Phantom
Second Photo Portrait of Priscilla McNeil, the young girl who was reported to have appeared to a guest in the 1849 Room. The guest would not return to the room that night. Digital photo by Southern Phantom
Third Photo Vibrating or moving light anomaly near Priscilla's portrait. Digital photo by Southern Phantom
Fourth Photo A very bright light anomaly near the portrait of Priscilla McNeil. Digital photo by Southern Phantom

Left to right above
First Photo The dining room where Southern Phantom was awakened in the dark by a lamp being turned on. The far end of the room was originally the Gentlemen's Parlor where it is believed that Union Generals Grant, Sherman, Logan and McPherson planned the Battle of Shiloh. Digital photo by Southern Phantom
Second Photo The antique lamp which mysteriously turned on at 2:32 AM when no one else was in the dining room. Digital photo by Southern Phantom
Third Photo The lamp's light switch which was difficult to move from the "off" to "on" position. After many attempts at debunking, no natural explanation was found. Digital photo by Southern Phantom
Fourth Photo Light anomaly follows Magnolia Manor Ghost Tour guests in a horse drawn wagon on their way to haunted sites in the town of Bolivar, Tennessee . Digital photo by Southern Phantom

Investigation Conclusions
Even though light anomalies were photographed at various times and in different locations throughout the site and a lamp mysteriously turned on during the middle of the night, the evidence we collected is not conclusive. Future investigations are planned at this site.