L&L - Goody Garlick Mystery Cache
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(regular)
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Legends and Lore - South Jersey is an area rich with history that contains legendary characters and amazing stories. This series of caches is designed for you to learn some of the legends and stories of the area that we have grown to love. Some of the stories are true, some are just stories. Some are creepy, some funny, all are interesting. We hope you take the time to read the story that goes with each cache. Enjoy!
Goody Garlick was a nursemaid and midwife in East Hampton, Long Island back in the 17th century. She was well learned in the use of herbs as medicine, which might have been part of her downfall. Because of her knowledge and use of herbs, her neighbors grew suspicious. They began blaming her for poisoning cow's milk and making children sick with her own. She went to visit an extremely sick 18 year old girl, who upon seeing her at the foot of her bed, screamed, "YOU are the witch who did this to me!" The next day the girl passed away and Goody Garlick was put on trial for being a witch shortly thereafter.
After many hearings, Goody Garlick was released due to insufficient evidence, but her husband at the time had to post a huge sum of money to ensure that she "behave". Of course she was shunned by her neighbors and the community and whenever anything mysterious happened, she was blamed for it.
Her husband eventually passed away and in 1691, she married John Parsons and they escaped to the woods of Cape May County, NJ. They lived peaceably, in isolation, raising their only child, Lydia, in a small area called Leaming Plantation which is now known as Rio Grande.
Strangely her gravesite is unknown. Since it was a common practice to refuse Christian burial to anyone suspected of witchcraft, did she continue to practice her craft here in NJ? Although her gravesite has never been found, local residents say that around Halloween, a white mist can often be seen throughout the wooded sections of Rio Grande where her daughter is buried.....
I believe the location of her grave site was secretly documented to allow family members to visit the grave site in private.
Having scoured countless historical documents from both public and private collections I believe I have found the secret that will lead to the location of Goody's final resting place.
Below is a some strange writing I found in an obscure document. See if you can solve the mystery!
.For Goody sake.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Qba'g sbetrg lbhe obng, guvf n cnqqyr gb lbh xabj.
Gurer'f n frperg ragenapr, qba'g zvff vg!