Haunted History 1 - Susanna Morris
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(micro)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
This is the first of a series that I have planned. There will be no real beginning or end to this set of caches, as I intend to add to it as I go whenever I stumble across notables from Fort Smith's past or stories about events in our history.
This is the mostly unknown story of Susanna Morris. I will post more as I come across it, and would definitely welcome any information that people may be able to provide to the story. There have been many rumors circulated in the past, each one progressively becoming taller than the last. Eventually this led to the site being known as "The Witch's Grave". Now, if you want to look up these stories, they are readily available on Google or circulated in the local high schools amongst the teens. Most rumors centered around the fact that this grave was outside of the nearby cemetery (Leard to the south, Waypoint provided) and is located in what was (until recently) a open field nearby. Why would someone be buried so near holy ground but not within it? Insert rumor here. Now, for the real story according to what I have been able to learn from asking around the more elderly friends I am acquainted with and via an old newsletter from the Fort Smith Historical Society, dated April 1, 1978; the article is TEXAS ROAD By: Amelia Martin: While Texas Road was the road out for some, and the road in for others, it was the end of the road for still others. Just south of Cavanaugh on Texas Road, about a quarter of a mile from where it turns west and runs into Stateline road, stands a lone tombstone on the east side of the road in a meadow of the Cavanaugh Dairy Farm owned by Mr. and Mrs. George W. Combs. The carved epitaph is simple: "Susanna Murris was born June 3,1832. Married to H. Mickle, October 14,1847. Departed this life on August 16, 1851." Near the top of the headstone is a chiseled heart. Though tilted erratically where the earth has given away beneath it, the stone is not scarred or damaged, and remains as a tribute to a young pioneer wife. George Combs says that according to stories told by old timers, H. Mickle hauled the huge flat stone from Georgia Mountain near Bonanza, cut and chisled it himself, and erected it in memory of his loved one. Research done by Chris Allen reveals that the 1850 census lists Harmon MICKLE, age 33, with property valued at $2,500 in Marion Township, Crawford1 County, Arkansas, as being born in Virginia. Susanna, his wife, was age 17 and was born in Arkansas. This would have been his second wife, as his children were: MARY M., age 15; WILLIAM, age 13; HARMON, age9, all born in Tennessee; ELIZABETH, age 8 and AMILDA, age 7, both born in Arkansas. Also listed in the census as a resident of the Mickle home was John REESE, a laborer born in Canada. Along Texas Road, in sight of the gravestone, are two of the three houses built by the sons of H. Mickle more than a century ago. One of these has been moved from its original location, but the other is the beautiful home which George Combs and his family remodeled and live in today. Moving south to the spot where old Texas Road entered the untamed Choctaw Nation, we find the Leard Cemetery. PRESENT DAY: Today the gravesite has been rediscovered after being lost for some years due to land changing hands and older generations that were more familiar with the location and it's history (both true and embellished) beginning to die off. Recent years have lead to a housing addition being placed, and when crews found the headstone, the proper channels were followed and the site will now be a small neighborhood park to be maintained by the City of Fort Smith. I'm unsure exactly what this means other than two things: 1. this woman will not be removed from her long held resting place due to the historical significance of such an early gravesite in the Fort Smith area. 2. She will begin to receive much more respect as the grounds are maintained and hopefully her real story comes to be better known. Coincidently, it is also located directly across the street from our new house :) HOW TO SOLVE: An interesting story, right? Well, now I am sure you are asking, Brett, how do I put my ink on the log already? Okay, okay, here it is. When you get to ground zero you will find the grave of Susanna Morris. The stone has since fallen to the ground and rest flat. Pay some respects to this poor lady. I have heard it confirmed by more than one person about some horrible things being done here in "Younger Days" in the name of 1uping friends. The stone is still very easily read, especially when you consider the marker's age. I do have concerns of how much more weathering might happen now that the stone is face up. Freezing rain could be a real danger to eroding the letters, leading me to wonder who to contact with concerns to further preserve it. On the stone is three dates. Add the years of the first two dates, then subtract the year of the last date. This will give you the amount of feet you need to travel. I'll make the next part easy on you, Your direction will be 281.38° from ground zero. When you get to Ground Zero at the projected Cords, you will be looking for the usual semi-Camo Pill Bottle. Log only, so bring your own pen. Congratulations to Jffok for FTF!!!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Gur Ovt Gerr, ba lbhe yrsg nf gur pebj syvrf. Purpx gur onpx qbbe.