The townsfolk chained her casket shut and buried her deep in the ground, placing a stone slab on top of the grave. We have reviews of the best places to see in Yazoo City. I hate to hear you had a hard time finding the grave. November 2020. . It was to little avail. The legend goes that an old woman lived on the Yazoo River, and was caught torturing fishermen who she lured in off the river. After this went on for some time, on May 25, 1884, local law enforcement ventured into the delta to capture her after hearing of her dastardly activities . If you have a hard time seeing this, be sure to look for the grave of author Willie Morris. There is certainly some mysterious force at work here. In fact, the only record ever to have been found, to our knowledge, shows that a woman owned the plot in Glenwood where the witch’s grave is located. Johnson went off to do likewise. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. That it seemed as if the wind was used as a hand, prompting the fire to jump from building to building, moving forward through the town. The stone which is now in place mysteriously fell and split in two shortly after installation. I am not sure if any psychics have visited. On Christmas Eve in 1884, an altercation between a group of black men and a group of white men erupted in violence. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. According to the site, the legend of the Witch of Yazoo became famous in Willie Morris’ book, Good Old Boy published in 1971. The tour guide who plays the witch for us is very proud of her Irish heritage. The legend of the Witch of Yazoo became famous in Willie Morris' book, Good Old Boy published in 1971. Yes, it is still there. On May 25, 1904, a fire broke out in the business district of Yazoo City, Mississippi. Some say the cause was a little boy playing with matches under the porch of his home, some claim the it was an electrical fire, and some blame the fire on a Miss Wise, who was cooking for her wedding the next day. His family lived there for generations. To this day, our cemetery sextons are very careful to keep the chains repaired and in place, though they often are broken again very soon after being repaired. They claim that strangely strong winds were blowing that day. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed ), memorial page for The Witch of Yazoo County (unknown–unknown), Find a Grave Memorial no. However, this did not pertain to women. Unfortunately, no – all records of who owned the plot were destroyed in the Fire of 1904. 8429, citing Glenwood Cemetery, Yazoo City, Yazoo County, Mississippi, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave . Despite its possible origins, the witch of Yazoo is still an ominous presence in the Yazoo City. The Witch of Yazoo. Then came May 25, 1904…. However, several people, including Willie Morris, have taken a stab at writing their version of the story. I bet the legends of Northen Ireland are fascinating! As someone that lived in Yazoo for years this has always been awesome to research. Some folks have said that the truth of the witch’s grave is that a man is buried there. We would be happy to put you in touch with some local historians. It was eventold of giants that were peaceful were slayed as well. Current local lore says that when all of the chains are gone from her grave, “the witch” will return again to exact her revenge on Yazoo City. I have a very dear friend that is from there. The incident occurred when a white plantation owner T.D. Witch's Grave Located in the middle of the Glenwood Cemetery is a grave surrounded by chain links known as, "The Witch's Grave". The Slumber Slaughterer Urban Legend – Halloween Countdown, Witch of Yazoo - Supernatural Research Society, Ole School Pre-Christmas Celebration at the Blue Front Cafe, Glenwood Cemetery Tour by Charlie Carlisle. The Witch of Yazoo County - Find A Grave Memorial. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Two of the 12 large chain links came up missing. She is buried very close to my grandmother,Inwill make a trip there this summer.I also have cousins buried there, no its not true thats my 6th generation aunt. Just wondering. It was simply inscribed with the letters “T W” (The Witch?). While this is quite possible and certainly innocent enough, it is the strange and fierce winds that were blowing on that fateful day, unusual for the time, that lead many to blame the witch. In Yazoo, Mississippi there’s a strange legend which may have more truth to it than skeptics would like to believe. Just my thoughts. no one knew her first name at all. This story is very interesting to me but is it really true i would like to read a book on her is there one published if so can u please let me know u can notify me by phone or mail my cell number is 331-551-2083 and my mailing address is 540 n Yale ave in villa park I’ll 60181 and actually i was just in yazoo mississippi and i did go to see that grave but i could not find that grave anywhere is it still there. He is buries “13 paces to the South” of the Witch’s Grave, which makes her grave very easy to locate once you find his. Although African American made up two-thirds of the population, they were forcibly bared from voting, despite it being their right. People were running through the streets screaming like they were wild.” Oddly, the weather reports for the date mention no strong winds in the area that day. The Witch Of Yazoo was said to have placed a curse on the town of Yazoo, Mississippi. A couple of months back, though, I came across a witch grave that seems to be unique among witch graves. I wrote a book called The Witch of Yazoo. The idea of “digging up” the “witch” has been tossed around here and there. Come see for yourself, and hear the story. Then, decide what you believe…. Wish us luck! A group of citizens made their way into Glenwood on the day after the fire, and found the large chains around the grave of the witch broken in two. Many years ago, the stone (now long gone) which was original to the grave only had the letters T. W. (The Witch??). This story is an example of the unusual folklore surrounding Yazoo County. This legendary (and fictitious) witch was made famous in the stories of Willie Morris, who is buried close by in the same cemetery. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I read it to my youngest daughter and two granddaughters tonight before we go to visit the Glenwood Cemetery in Yazoo City, MS where the witch is buried. Grew up there as well, i would like to see more detail of the witch. According to legend, a witch lived along the Yazoo River where she would lure fisherman into her cabin before torturing and murdering them. The tombstone reads: "According to local legend, on May 25, 1904, the Witch of Yazoo City broke out of these curious chain links surrounding her grave and burned down Yazoo City. , My grandmother is buried in Glenwood Cementary but I haven’t seen the witches grave,how can I find where it is located there. After being arrested and convicted of witchcraft, a woman swore revenge on Yazoo City as she was being executed. The Yazoo witch is widely know to most Yazoo natives. I was born and raised in Yazoo City, Mississippi. The legend has been around in Yazoo for a very long time. Founded in 1824, the town has seen much tragedy in its almost 200 years. Your email address will not be published. The story was mentioned in a book by Willie Morris, but I haven’t read it. Is the “witch” your aunt? Didn’t Willie Morris publish a book that had the Witch of Yazoo City in one chapter? Perhaps someone is wanting to see if the witch still feeling a bit vengeful. I don’t think any book has been published to tell the factual story, being that all records burned in the fire. Now… I have heard tale that one local historian was able to track down information with a woman’s name who supposedly owned that plot (though I don’t know if that is true), but I don’t think there was any information available as to who she was or if she was, indeed, buried there. ?and send me some info on this to my email pls If you are searching for historical or genealogical information, please let us know. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. The Witch of Yazoo [Image via Wikipedia] Where in the world: Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. Glenwood Cemetery Address: Potters Field Rd, Yazoo City, MS Directions: West of US Hwy 49 via Benton Rd, then left on Potters Field Rd. It’s the story of the witch of Yazoo, a woman who lived on the outskirts of town and came to an untimely death.Then twenty years later she rose from the grave and burned the entire town of Yazoo to the ground. Hey, Jackie. Located in the middle of the historic section of Glenwood Cemetery, Yazoo City’s public cemetery, is a grave surrounded by chain links known as, “The Witch’s Grave”.The legend of the Witch of Yazoo became famous in Willie Morris’ book, Good Old Boy published in 1971.This story is an example of the unusual folklore surrounding Yazoo County. I was just there April 29, 2016 and it is still there. Mississippi. The most popular theory is that the fire started in the parlor of a young Miss Wise who was in preparation for her wedding to be held later that day. Time has forgotten her,but I couldn't help but to remember stories I heard about her. I hope to help keep our local legend alive. And Yazoo City did have several large racial and gender battles at work during the time when the witch rumors first began. We’re glad you enjoyed the visit. Yazoo is a small town in central Mississippi and is named for the Yazoo River, which flows nearby. This witch is a swamp crone. Even more ominous is the fact that, to this day, no one knows who exactly is buried in the witch’s grave. Yazoo before the fire. And of course, it could all be coincidence that the fire happened on the anniversary of the witch’s demise. Legend has it, once all of the links disappear, she will come back and burn the town again. Thanks for your post, Lolita. No business buildings were left standing in the downtown district and many fine residences were destroyed. One where there are curses, and regardless of the atrocities the town folks place upon the witch, she gets revenge in the end. One could theorize that these rumors of witchery could have been directed at Mrs. Prewett in an act of revenge against a woman with the audacity to speak her mind, who was immune to pistols at ten paces. http://www.blumhouse.com/2016/05/18/mississippis-vengeful-witch-of-yazoo-and-the-creation-of-a-legend/. Of course, we think of these strictly fairy tales. That’s right. I have seen her before.I am 33 years old i was about 7 when i seen her she had bronze color hair and had on all white i willnever forthat night i called her. We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyze our traffic. Make no mistake, there is no evidence of this. This totaled 324 buildings. The Witch of Yazoo. Let me know if you have any other questions. The legend of the Witch of Yazoo became famous in Willie Morris’ book, Good Old Boy published in 1971. her birth name was lost. bayoulady from Northern Louisiana,USA on October 31, 2010: What an awesome story to read on October 31st!!! Although, perhaps not the best course of action! On May 25, 1904, a fire broke out in the business district of Yazoo City, Mississippi. All of this was destroyed. Now a third has. So the gypsies, from the mere fact of being wanderers and out-of-doors livers in wild places, became wild-looking, and when asked if they did not associate with the devils who dwell in the desert places, admitted the soft impeachment, and being further questioned as to whether their friends the devils, fairies, elves, and goblins had not taught them how to tell the future, they pleaded guilty, and finding that it paid well, went to work in their small way to improve their “science,” and particularly their pecuniary resources. 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