There are two types of Rhode Islanders: those who start to think about Halloween in late October, and those who deck their homes out in spooky decor and start planning their costumes in early September. But both types can definitely appreciate a good ghost story, especially as All Hallow's Eve draws near. If you grew up in the Ocean State, you've probably heard the sinister story of Mercy Brown — and you may already know that Chestnut Hill Cemetery is a spooky place.
Chestnut Hill Baptist Church Cemetery is located in Exeter.
The cemetery dates back to the 1830s, and the onsite church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
The cemetery is a bit hidden, and if you didn't know any better, you'd think it was pretty peaceful.
But after dark, it's definitely a spooky place to be.
The Chestnut Hill Cemetery is the final resting place of the Brown family, the main characters in one of New England's sinister stories.
Given the family's unfortunate history, it's easy to understand why being here feels a bit unsettling.
In the 1880s, the entire Brown family contracted consumption, which we now know to be tuberculosis.
Mary Eliza, the mother, was the first to die of the disease. Her daughter, Mary Olive, died soon after.
But when the Mercy Brown died of tuberculosis in 1891, and her brother Edwin also got sick, the community started to suspect foul play.
There were rumors that one of the dead family members was actually a vampire. The bodies of all three women were exhumed for inspection.
The bodies of Mary and Mary Olive exhibited the expected level of decomposition, but Mercy's body was still almost perfectly preserved, and she still had blood in her heart.
Mercy's body was stored in freezer-like conditions in an above-ground crypt for two months following her death, which is probably why her body was preserved. Of course, the townsfolk determined that she was a vampire — and, in a desperate attempt to save his son Edwin, father George Brown allowed Mercy's heart and liver to be burned and turned into an elixir for Edwin to drink. Sadly, Edwin died anyway.
With a tale that gruesome, it's easy to see why Mercy Brown may not be resting in peace.
The Brown family's remains are still here, and if you go to see them, you may want to do it before it gets dark.
Have you ever visited this spooky cemetery?
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