Drag images here or select from your computer for Baby Lester memorial. In 1972 article The Legend of Stepp Cemetery, (Clements and Lightfoot), 27 legend variants cited: generally involve elements of woman (as living, disfigured, witch or ghost) dressed in black visiting grave of husband, daughter, infant or combination; woman seated on stump near entrance; stump curse (below); deaths and mutilations, frequently of German shepherd dog, cited as proof of stumps potency. It would be great to educate others about Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. (LogOut/ I could not find much about why coins and toys are left on the grave. Several demonstrations had previously been held with one or two members of congregation having been bit, but skeptics declared the poison fangs had been removed. home. Crabbites or Church of the First Born of Brown County, holding forth in vicinity of Nashville and parts of Morgan County their leader has been preaching from a stump in the open woods asserts he can handle snakes without danger to himself a feature of the congregational meeting is the holy kiss, in which the brothers and sisters have become apt pupils and give freely. They will not cause harm, unless they are provoked in a negative manner. Variant of old woman insisting couples deaths be kept quiet; unknown until her own death; old woman sits on tombstone, which is actually petrified tree hollowed into bench. tool to educate people. Saved. A sticker with an alien emblem on it rests against the rear bumper of an This baby is perhaps the cemeterys most well-known resident, Baby Lester, who died a few days after he was born in the 1930s. of men he was meeting with. Cody Baker was bitten by rattlesnake Miss Grace Adkins was bitten by a rattlesnake, and Miss Ella Goss was bitten by a copperhead. In addition to the lady in black, disembodied noises, and other unexplainable experiences Stepp Cemetery was also once host to the Crabbites. It is Oct. 6, 2001 During our visit, we did not observe anything that would be considered paranormal or supernatural. He observed individuals in black robes conducting some type of ceremony. Try again later. Will not poison person if firm believer and if person and members of the flock pray hard enough, anoint with oil. Epitaph reads BABY LESTER 1937 (R is very faint), Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. extraterrestrial world. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Remote location became even more so after cemetery became part of Morgan-Monroe State Forest in 1929; maintained by Benton Township. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Baldwin. Most well-known legend involves variation of ghostly woman in black who has roamed cemetery for decades, sometimes exhuming her child from grave to hold him. The stone bears the name of Thomas Stepp, who died in 1869. (Reporter-Times, 8/31/1974), Conservation officer saw no traces of cult meetings, saying evidence of campfires but not of human or animal sacrifices. OLeatha, the mother of the stillborn child, married James Walls after the death of the babys father. Cheryl Ann Lester, born June 11, 1955 passed away suddenly at the age of 57. . Ghosts and she still haunts the cemetery. Failed to Update. Unlike the grand and sweeping cemetery you may be picturing, Stepp Cemetery is quite small and is home to just 25 graves. 2021 PocketSights, LLC. It was already a rural cemetery when it was still regularly active but in 1929 the land the cemetery sits on became part of the Morgan Monroe State Forest. Martinsville, Morgan County, Indiana, USA, Drag images here or select from your computer, Added by:Shelly Couvrette on 11 Apr 2010, Oops, we were unable to send the email. Then as soon as poison injected into believers arm or hand the prayers will begin. (Indianapolis News, 5/7/1908), Demonstration did not occur, Crabbites saying had not been planned. cemeteries and haunted houses. Variant of woman whose daughter and husband had died killed in crash with a new boyfriend; buried at cemetery and sits on tree stump (below). Your Scrapbook is currently empty. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Monroe County Coroners report. The Lady in White legend now appears to be superseded by a Lady in Black story. Actually, the title should read. Failed to remove flower. entered. The photo captions have been updated to reflect this new information. buried in Stepp are children under the age of 7 and their 19-year-old center. evening, before his visit. This browser does not support getting your location. She You get the recipe for one of the most haunted locations in the State of Indiana Stepp Cemetery. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. restoration projects out of their own pockets. The graveyard has been strewn with debris; its headstones vandalized and removed. that the deterioration of cemeteries is on the rise and there are not out of Monroe County, said Harp. We try to figure it out. Stepp Cemetery's claims to fame are the varied ghost stories, mostly centering around the "lady in black" who some claim to see in the cemetery and the grave of baby Lester. as local residents. Burial place of Civil War and World War I and II veterans. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Located deep within Morgan-Monroe State Forest, Stepp Cemetery is not one of Indianas larger cemeteries. (Star Press, 6/22/1907), (Snake legends widespread in Indiana; commonly feature whip snakes, hoop snakes and milk snakes, as well as strange, often sympathetic relationship, between a snake and a child. Make sure to subscribe to Me & Paranormal You to keep up with Ryan as his paranormal research and projects develop on this world and far beyond. cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Either these were other locals playing some type of game, cultists such as those described earlier, or locals looking after the cemetery grounds after the act of vandalism that transpired last week remains unknown. Like many interested in the paranormal, some of the first scary stories I encountered in my youth took place in graveyards. these old cemeteries. findings in Stepp with data collected on extraterrestrial sightings. There is also a lack of funding. Stepp alone is among 300 burial grounds in Monroe County. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Stepp Cemetery - Martinsville. Two twin girls in their early 20s greet guests as they enter the Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. The baby passed after only a few breaths. As Stepp received more and more living visitors, the stories surrounding this strange piece of land ballooned. This site is notorious for many legends that have evolved Stepp Cemetery is located in a Sate Forest in Indiana. Variant of womans husband killed working construction and she guards his grave even after her own death. (Indianapolis News, 5/23/1908). His daughter, Julie Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Use partial name search or similar name spellings to catch alternate spellings or broaden your search. There is a problem with your email/password. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. took Ivys picture. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. She caught the blurry, white cloud on her digital camera and raised the image He wanted to old van. Attention All Ghosts, Bigfoots, & Aliens: Me & Paranormal You w/Ryan Singer: Exp #371, A Requiem For Baby Lester The Hauntings of Stepp Cemetery, Me and Paranormal You with Ryan Singer: Experience 387, The Mineral Springs Hotel Haunted America Conference Investigation 2022. Locals tell the sad story of a woman who tragically lost her baby son during the mid-1930s . Search above to list available cemeteries. Stepp Cemeterys claims to fame are the varied ghost stories, mostly centering around the lady in black who some claim to see in the cemetery and the grave of baby Lester. He Growing up, graveyards often seemed like mystical, sacred places that at once repelled and compelled me to examine them more closely. research. Among Monroe/Morgan reports: Possible nighttime encounter by a couple camping near Martinsville. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Featured in Finding Bigfoot television series in 2012. This browser does not support getting your location. It had holes cut into it and a candle was lit in the This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Required fields are marked *. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Unfortunately, someone had apparently vandalized the entry stone for the cemetery with a sledgehammer earlier that week. Many of the tombstones in this small cemetery actually belong to children, sadly. Perhaps because of the Stepps notoriety, it has become a destination of sorts for those seeking dark thrills. stepp cemetery baby lester. The grassroots effort was started in 1997 to identify and preserve just such neglected historic sites. While ghost-trackers in Evansville keep on the lookout for the Lady in Grey, an apparition in different attire haunts the imagination of paranormal investigators in central Indiana. Indiana Bigfoot Research Organization believes activity in Morgan and surrounding counties. the deceased and a classroom for the living. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Other stories circulated about a spirit in a black gown, sometimes called Anna, who would weave among the headstones mourning the accidental deaths of her husband and teenage daughter. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Tree said to have been carved into chair when Civilian Conservation Corps was tasked with the upkeep of the cemetery after state forest established. Lightboxes. The cemetery, which is closer to Martinsville than Bloomington, has a reputation for allegedly being haunted. Baldwin said Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. One of 300 burial grounds in Monroe County alone, the Stepp Cemetery has come under the purview of the Indiana Pioneer Cemeteries Restoration Project. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Please reset your password. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Offerings left at Baby Lester's grave. mothers. Baldwin believes this fact alone has a negative impact on the Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Taylor began this organization after he became unsatisfied with a group Oops, we were unable to send the email. By the 1950s the Stepp Cemetery had been largely forgotten as a cemetery at all and became a local clearing in the forest where teenagers would hang out. Oh, they love little kids, said Linda. Hundreds of stars hover above the secluded meadow. have referred to these energies as subtle energy. Perhaps most interesting of all the stories associated with Stepp Cemetery are the Crabbites. Described as particular hotspot for the unexplained and paranormal. Take a second to support The Bloomingtonian on Patreon! If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Variant of disagreement/duel over ownership of land, leading to death of one of Reuben Stepps children. Learn More, 2023, The Trustees of Indiana University Copyright Complaints, 1229 East Seventh Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, Support For Indiana Public Media Comes From, Indiana Pioneer Cemeteries Restoration Project, Become an Indiana Public Media supporter. (Brown County Democrat, 1/6/2016), Indiana Bigfoot Reports site received eight reports of creature resembling Big Foot-like creature in forest in 2015. the 1800s and is classified as a pioneer cemetery. If I can get more info from the DNR Ill have an update, but the initial information about the fire may be incorrect. to the cemetery nightly. Videos of the trip to Stepp Cemetery can be found here, here, and here. Taylor believes some type of ceremony was held in the cemetery that If this catches your attention, then maybe a visit to Stepp Cemetery is in order. Thanks for your help! the graves wearing a black dress. The entire ten members of he family were laid to rest in Stepp Cemetery. Benton Township, Monroe County, Indiana, USA Anneliese Michel 21 Sep 1952 - 1 Jul 1976. I wanted to do the actual research, said Taylor. May have originally been owned by Reuben Stepp in 1856; sold to William Peterson in 1884. The urban legends and stories from this location are legendary The main story one hears about this location is of the lady in white, the mother of Baby Lester, allegedly buried in a makeshift. Please reset your password. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. journey that links the spiritual world to the scientific study of UFOs. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Cheryl Ann Lester Lansing, MI God sent for one of His Angels on February 27th, 2013. His wife and daughters became frightened and wanted to leave.