The original house and its two additions all have spirits
attached to each area where they lived.

This lively crew of spirits include a murdered highwayman, a teen who
died from childbirth, two mischievous spirit boys, Mr & Mrs Bob
and the Murray sisters.

DESCRIPTION

“Time Capsule of the South.” (National Geographic)

McRaven House has some of the belongings of all the people who lived there, especially the Murrays, making it a prime house museum. There is even a stretcher from the Civil War hospital that was here during the siege of Vicksburg.

Tom and I visited during our road trip in 2022. Yikes! Walking through the gate onto the property, its aura hits you in the face, that unseen spirit people are present.

We went down the soon-to-be completely restored by donations brick walkway to the pillared front porch, awaiting the time for our tour to begin. The outside needs a little work, but basically it is in good shape.

On the left side of the house, flower gardens and the old well could be seen. The right side is an expansive grassy area with trees around the perimeter. In the back yard, there is a marker for a mass grave of the mortally wounded Confederate soldiers.

On the house tour, we found out that this mansion was built in three phases by three owners. Each added to the front of what was already there.

At the very back of the house, is the 1797 original brick structure, built by the notorious highway man Andrew Glass. Known as the Pioneer Section, it was a Federal style, tiny two story house, with the bedroom right above the kitchen that had no staircase going upstairs.

Instead, a rope was used to go up and down, as he was afraid of being murdered by his many enemies. The room was basic and simple, just like Andrew liked it.

In 1836, this tiny house and its land were bought by Sheriff Stephen Howard who saw the possibilities and added the second phase of construction, in the Empire architectural style. He and his fifteen year old wife, Mary Elizabeth moved in after adding a dining room to the first floor kitchen and building the second floor bedroom above it.

When we visited their bedroom, it had furniture of the time period and Mary’s personal belongings, such as her trunk, gloves, the shawl her grandmother made her as a wedding present, etc.

Mary’s daughter, Caren, gave her mother’s trunk full of favorite, belongings to a friend to give to the owner of McRaven House, where she thought they belonged to be on display in the house museum.

Stephen built a staircase and landing up to the second floor rooms with the original Glass bedroom on the left, and their bedroom on the right. The contrast can clearly be seen, between the no thrills, stark Glass bedroom and the Howard bedroom with prettier woodwork. Both Structures had balconies and doorways facing east, with views of the flower gardens and the well.

In 1844, John H. Bob and wife Selena became the owners. They added onto the front of the other two additions going to the right, making the two older sections into the southern wing.

The new front of the mansion now faced northward, perpendicular to the two older parts of the mansion. This created a grassy courtyard with two sides and an open side that led to the large yard on the right.

Their two floored addition was basically done in the Greek Revival style, a very showy type of decor, sure to impress. The fireplaces had handsome mantels made of grey variegated marble and a plaster centerpiece.

The Grecian front facade first seen from the brick walkway was made complete with a wide front porch and Greek pillars on both floors of the verandas with three-by-three-bay windows that let in a lot of light into the rooms.

John changed his mind a few years later, and replaced the Grecian front facade with a galleried-Italianate facade instead. The pillars were replaced with Italianate posts and decor.

The first floor addition was used to entertain his business clients. The second floor provided the couple the quality of sleeping quarters they were accustomed to at their other plantations.

Taking the tour, visitors can see that the parlor, dining room, and upstairs area have some of the period antiques John and Selena would have had in their home. Plus some actual antiques that belonged to the Murray family as well are on display.

John’s first floor room sparkles with Greek Revival finery. The large, impressive parlor showcased his wealth to prospective clients. The dining room was also big and elaborate to seat a larger crowd, and the kitchen area was conveniently located on the end of the first floor, beside the grassy area to the right of the house.

He added a flying wing staircase to connect with the second floor. On the second floor was the master bedroom, side rooms and parlor. The decor is Greek Revival woodwork and plasterwork, and no expense was spared.

The front master bedroom and the connecting gentleman’s dressing room had windows and doors that opened up to the covered veranda. It was the perfect place to catch the breezes on a hot summer day, to relax, do handicrafts of the day, and smoke cigars.

The Bobs also may have remodeled a bit in the bedrooms in the older sections. According to the National Register of Historic Places, the simple remodel effort was in the Grecian style with “plain full-length pedimented architraves surrounding the windows and corresponding spandrels and the doors. Shallow closets closed by double-leaf doors flank the fireplaces with its simple post-and-lintel style mantel.”

They each have a second floor veranda that overlooks the rose garden.

These older rooms in the McRaven House Museum represent the tastes of the people who lived there, being simpler in furniture and decor.

On the back porch, overlooking the the partially open courtyard, the docents have a large cart of rolled sage which they burn after large events to calm down all the spectral residents. We also saw the kitchen area, which was compact but practical.

Walking into the open courtyard, visitors come to the mass grave containing the remains of Confederate soldiers, marked by a large memorial marker for those who died in the 1863 siege of Vicksburg.

HISTORY

While the former residents and those who used the property had their share of good times, there were many tragedies, deaths, murders and unfortunate circumstances that changed lives here too. What they have in common is that they loved their home here and plan to spend their afterlife in their favorite place in this world.

As a highway man with no mercy, Andrew Glass and his motley crew terrorized travelers who used the Nachez Trace Highway by robbing, beating and killing them.

In 1797, the Spanish authorities, in an effort to placate Glass, offered him a plot of land if he would stop the mayhem. He found a woman to marry to look respectable, not caring about her anger issues, or her expectation that he would be monogamous in their marriage.

Of course he didn’t stop robbing and killing people. When he wasn’t leading his gang, he used his abode as a safe house, masquerading as an away station for travelers, where he could easily continue in his brutal activities. His own violent demise was the consequence.

One day, Andrew and his crew harassed the wrong traveler, who came armed to the party. He was shot in the stomach, and broke off the attack. Andrew was laid up in his bedroom. His wife, smarting from jealousy, took this opportunity to slit his throat, killing him in a fit of rage.

She told his gang of his demise, and paid them from Andrew’s cache of loot to take his body away and hide it. She got off without penalty and continued to live there, until she got into trouble because of her rage issues and was sent to prison for killing another woman.

In 1836, Sheriff Stephen and his wife Mary bought this tiny home and added their two floor addition, making the structure their forever home. Young fifteen year old Mary became pregnant. She loved people, and gladly entertained, being a friendly, out-going person, full of positivity.

Tragically, she died in child birth. Their daughter, Caren, survived. Sheriff Stephen took her and they moved back immediately to Yazoo County where his parent’s home was located, so they could help raise the child.

Stephen sold the 6.3 acres to William Bob who probably bought it as an investment. He enlarged the property to nearly eleven acres.

In 1844, rich merchant John and his wife Selena Bob, who had other properties in the south, came to Vicksburg to buy a home where they could entertain John Bob’s prospective Vicksburg clients.

His brother William offered to sell the whole eleven acres to him for 5,000 dollars. Seeing this large property with a modest house on it, at the right price was appealing to John and Selena, as they could build their future residence here the way they wanted it.

Being too old to fight when the Civil War came to Vicksburg, John Bob let the Confederates camp on the grassy areas his estate, including the yard on the right side of the house. John and Selena were stuck there during the three month siege of the city.

As their property was near the railroad tracks, their house was hit with cannon balls from both sides, putting holes in walls and the roof. One cannon ball got stuck in the wall in the foyer, and was left there for years as a conversational piece.

It was removed eventually, but a work of art especially made has a fake cannon ball stuck in what looks like a piece of the wall now hangs in the exact spot.

To help the soldiers who were wounded during the siege, a Confederate hospital was set up in the Bob House. The Union was finally successful in taking Vicksburg in 1863 after a forty day siege. Union soldiers occupied Vicksburg, which led to trouble.

In 1864, an unfortunate incident led to the murder of John Bob. Some bored soldiers got drunk and went into the Bobs’ rose garden, and started to destroy the roses, which infuriated John Bob.

He chucked a brick at one of them, and clocked a sergeant in the head. They vowed to return to burn down the house and kill him.

John went to the district Union Headquarters and told the commanding officer, General Henry W Slocum, what happened. Slocum assured John Bob that he would “admonish” those soldiers, and not to worry about it. Right!

However, John was grabbed just outside the McRaven House gate by a mob of twenty-five soldiers who dragged him to Stout’s Bayou, only a hundred yards away. There they shot him in the face and back, killing him. He died in Selena’s arms.

They had gotten permission to kill him from the same General Slocum that John had come to for help. They couldn’t burn down the house probably because the general wanted to rent parts of it because of its location near the railroad tracks.This killing started the tensions between residents and occupying forces.

The Union authorities wouldn’t let Selena leave Vicksburg to travel to another residence. When they offered to rent some of the home’s property, she agreed, being careful to hold her tongue and keep her feelings to herself. Our tour docent said that she was a true steel Magnolia.

One of the ways that she controlled her anger was to focus on the needs of others to get her mind off her husband’s murder. Selena had her cook make biscuits for the neighborhood children who didn’t have much to eat during the siege and afterward.

Finally, in 1869, she sold the property to a Vicksburg real estate agent, and moved to their New Orleans plantation houses, Sunny Side, in LA, never to return.

The house stood vacant a few years until the early 1870s, when the Murray family moved inside, eventually becoming the longest residents who called this place home.

William Murray had been a Union soldier who was wounded in the Battle of Shiloh, and walked with a cane. As a single man, he moved to Vicksburg, working as an inventor and machinist. This very likable fellow married into a local high society Vicksburg family, the Flyns.

Their daughter, Ellen Flyn, became his wife. He was eventually accepted into Vicksburg society as one of them. They originally had nine children together. Two of their five sons died while young, perhaps from Yellow Fever. William and Ellen raised their four daughters and three surviving sons in this house.

When daughters Ella and Annie were in their teens, they caught Yellow Fever but survived the disease, much to the relief of their family. There is a painting of them hanging in the parlor, which we saw on the house tour.

McRaven House was truly the Murray family forever home. Five of their seven members died at McRaven. William died in 1911, his wife Ellen, in 1921, their daughter Ida, in 1946, and a son in 1950. The two surviving daughters, Ella and Annie, laid their brother’s body on the kitchen door that they had removed, and placed it on the dining room table.

His body eventually was buried after decomposing. Some of his fluids soaked into the door which was put back where it belonged, leading to the kitchen. Eww!

Owners Ella and Annie were elderly recluses, and lived in the dining room after moving their bed there, not wanting to go up the stairs anymore.

They lived without running water or electricity except for a phone. They ordered their groceries and items on the phone, never venturing out. Some sources say that they became hoarders. Their doctor made house calls when they needed him.

Because they couldn’t stand the cold, they started to cook in the fireplace. Ella died in 1960. After she died, her sister, practical Annie, sold the house “as is” and moved into a nursing home, perhaps at the urging of one of her nieces and nephews.

By then, the McRaven House was truly a creaky fixer-upper opportunity. It was so overgrown that the neighbors didn’t know it was still there. It was truly a time capsule, because no one ever got rid of any items, personal treasures, and furniture, whatever wasn’t chopped up for firewood by Ella and Annie, still remained.

The McRaven House was fortunate because all its upcoming future owners were die-hard restoration enthusiasts, willing to pour a lot of funds into restoring it.

The new owner, O.E. Bradway, bought the old house in 1960, and did a great job stabilizing it, cutting away all the vegetation and overgrown grounds.

He cleaned out the clutter, made repairs, and added modern necessities like the old Vick House’s privy in the basement. He also put in the plumbing for running water, wired the house for electricity, and built a modern kitchen to bring the home up to 1960 standards.

He opened the house as a museum in 1961 for paying visitors. As he brought in funds for the tours, he put the money back into the house to repair and maintain it.

Right before he sold it in 1979, Bradway got McRaven House registered with the National Register of Historic Places on January 8th, to protect this historical treasure with its sometimes cantankerous but often pleasant spirits.

Later that year, restoration enthusiasts Charles and Sandra Harvey bought the house and some of its furnishings for 75,000 dollars. At first, the couple continued to have the house open for tours into the summer, but then they closed McRaven for a year long serious restoration effort, to the cost of 100,000 dollars. Yikes!

By the end of the year, they had hired experts to fully restore “the woodwork, rewiring, plumbing and plastering the walls and ceilings and restoring the Greek Revival cornices and ceiling medallions” among other areas.

Mrs. Harvey then concentrated on replacing the parlor carpet, front entry, staircase, and upstairs front bedroom, armed with a sample of the Bobs’ original carpet. This was accomplished after finding a company in Georgia willing to reproduce it.

After she did extensive research on each time period of the distinct sections of McRaven, she was able to have “authentic paint, wallpaper, fabrics and furnishings” brought in and used to restore on this level of authenticity.

As Bradway hadn’t gotten around to restoring the front and back porch, Lincoln Brown with the Waterways Experimental Station did the honors, building the porches as they originally looked.

The attic and basement were Mr. Harvey’s areas of expertise. He discovered that many rafters in the attic had been damaged from being in the cross-fire of Union and Confederate during the Battle of Vicksburg, and were in need of repair. In the basement, the 1840 privy was repaired and was now in working order.

Finally, open-house tours began again for the Spring Pilgrimage in April of 1980. The Harveys’ enjoyed their ownership until 1984, when they sold McRaven House to Leyland French for 275,000 dollars. He has the dubious distinction of becoming the first owner to try to live there, while also having house tours for visitors.

He continued in the restoration efforts, and did live there for a short while even after several run-ins with the spirits. At some point, he became creeped out and moved into a house nearby, hiring a caretaker to keep an eye on the place. He had a priest come in and perform an exorcism so it would be safer for the living.

When author Barbara Sillery was doing research for her 2011 book, The Haunting of Mississippi, the eighty-two year old caretaker, Leonard Fuller, let her in to look around. The McRaven House and its property was for sale, but a special kind of owner was needed.

In 2012, French decided to move out-of-state. The house was shut up and allowed to become overgrown once again.

In 2015, Leland French sold McRaven House for a whopping 1,750,000. dollars to Steven and Kendra Reed. They cut back the overgrown grounds, and expanded the tour business for both historical and paranormal enthusiasts. As McRaven House cannot become a restaurant, or bed and breakfast, it became not only a house museum, but also a place where the spirits were put to work a bit and could be entertained at the same time.

Paranormal shows such as Ghost Adventures and Haunted Towns came to film and investigate, as well as regular visitors who go on ghost tours and investigations led by the docents. Yes indeed, the spirits are entertained and have fun interacting with the living.

HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS

McRaven House is one of the most haunted homes in Mississippi, with too many spirits to count. Each era that the house existed in has at least one spirit who decided to stay!

The McRaven House has a lot of spectral residents who find comfort in their afterlives in this very special place. Sudden death from childbirth, accident, illness, war, not to mention betrayal and murder, are all causes of restless spirits who then search for peace in a treasured forever home.

When a woman dies in childbirth or while being pregnant, she sometimes has a hard time accepting this tragic demise, and chooses to stay, often wondering what happened to her child.

Infirmary For Women, KY (Some women died while giving birth. They were so worried about their babies, that they stayed in this structure, trying to draw attention to themselves so the living would tell them if their babies were alright).

Deerfield Village, MA (The spirit of a woman who had just given birth the day before an Indian attack, still searches to see what happened to her new baby and her two year old. She searches in vain for their graves, as all the slaughtered people are in a mass grave, which is marked by a large stone memorial).

Carleton House, Fort Huachuca, AZ (A young teen who died in childbirth, as did her premature baby, still looks for her baby’s grave and mourns it).

McRaven House, MS (Though the spirit of young Mary is still a positive, playful presence, she is stuck here searching for her baby, perhaps waiting for her husband to return with their child).

Victims sometimes want justice, are too upset to leave, and sometimes are stuck reliving their murders, perhaps looking for clues that they missed to make the outcome different this time).

Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast, MA (The spirit of Mr. Borden is stuck here, and relives his violent murder. Perhaps he is trying to see a way to prevent it this time around, but he can’t change what happened).

Carnton Mansion, KY ( Spirits of Civil War officers come back in the fall on the anniversary of the fateful battle where they were slaughtered by Union soldiers in a battle near Carnton Mansion. They knew they were going to lead their men into a bloodbath, but did it anyway following the orders they received, hoping this time for a miracle).

Albany State Capitol, NY (The spirit of the in-house guard relives his attempts to escape a fire, hoping this time to make it out before being overcome with smoke).

McRaven House, MS (The spirit of Mr. Bob is stuck here, going through his last day, reliving all the steps that led to his death at the hands of Union soldiers.

Some victims are mad at themselves for not seeing their own betrayals or the reasons for their deaths.

Captain Benson House Museum, NE (The spirit of Captain Benson is still frustrated with himself for not figuring out that his wife and then himself were poisoned by their crazy neighbor).

The Willamette Heritage Center, OR (The spirit of a workman is still fuming about his accidental death on the job in the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill, perhaps blaming his own inattention, or the carelessness of another worker).

Fort Worden Guard House, WA (The spirit of an Army sergeant guard who accidentally shot himself is fuming at his dumb, preventable death).

McRaven House, MS (The notorious Andrew Glass was murdered by his jealous wife, a betrayal on a personal level. Mr. Bob deeply regrets throwing a brick at a Union soldier, and believing the statement from a conniving Union commander that he was safe from harm and the soldiers would be disciplined).

Some victims of murders, deadly illnesses or accidents, were not ready to die, and want to continue in their lives the best they can as spirits in their favorite place.

Saint John Twin Cinemas, OR (The spirit of a vaudeville actor who was murdered in the alley beside the theatre, has moved into the theatre building, becoming an encouraging presence for the staff).

Glensheen Historic House Museum, MN (Two female resident spirits were violently murdered, but they continue to spend their afterlife in a place that they loved, doing most of the things they liked to do).

USS Hornet: Sea, Air and Space Museum, CA (Casualties of WW 2 continue in their work aboard the ship, and even give themselves new assignments to help the living).

McRaven House, MS (Mary is not ready to pass on, as she was so young when she died, and wants to reenter her life here).
(Andrew stays in the original back part of the house’s two rooms, doing what he did in life, bothering female docents. He doesn’t physically harm the living because he has been chastised when he has been hurtful. He chooses other not nice ways to get his chuckles).

(The spirits of Mr. and Mrs. Bob are also spending their afterlife here, wanting to forget old horrors and create new memories being hosts to the living).

(The spirits of the two young sons of the Murray family who died here like to try to play with other young children visitors and the docents).

(Spirits of Confederate soldiers who died on the property or near it make themselves at home here).

When spirits decide to stay, their family members may come back as well to be with their spectral loved ones.

Stranahan House, FL (The spirit of Mrs. Stranahan decided to stay in the family home because so many other family spirits were staying).

Old Allen House, AR (When LaDell killed herself because of too many failed relationships, her spirit stayed in the family home. The spirit of her son, and the spirits of her parents, decided to reside with her there).

Duff Green Mansion, MS (The spirits of the Green children decided to stay where they felt love, and the spirits of their parents also decided to stay as well).

McRaven House, MS (With the spirits of five of the Murray children staying, the spirits of Mr. and Mrs. Murray also want to stay in a home near their children: two little sons, one grown son and their daughters Ella and Annie).

Some spirits who had a hard time during their lifetimes in the family home, will choose to stay there as their afterlife residence.

Hartford Twain House, CT (While living here, the Twain family suffered the death of a daughter, and the strain of money problems. As spirits they relive their happy times together in their restored forever home).

Whaley House, CA (The Whaley family had a rough go living here, having to move out because of arson to Mr. Whaley’s business, and suffering tragedy as well. They have moved back inside the Whaley House Museum, enjoying their home relatively in peace while they continue to comfort their daughter, and take care of their toddler).

Glebe House, CT (During the Revolutionary War, Rev. John Marshall, a loyalist, was beaten up regularly by the other side, if he dared to leave his house to minister to his congregation during the week. If he stayed in the house, he and his family could hide. The spirit of Rev John Marshall enjoys the Glebe House Museum along with members of his family, finding peace).

McRaven House, MS (Mrs. Bob wasn’t allowed to leave Vicksburg after the death of her husband, and had to rent part of the mansion to the Union, despite the fact that her husband’s murder was sanctioned by the commanding officer of the district. As a spirit she can enjoy her home with her beloved once more).

(Spirits of Ella and Annie Murray had a hard existence away from everyone, as they were afraid to venture out, subsisting on sardines. As spirits, they don’t have to worry any more and can enjoy the restored house as they did earlier in their lives).

Besides specific rooms or places in a house that have spirits, personal items can draw spirits who attached to them while alive as well.

Redwood Library and Athenaeum, RI (There is a committee of spirits who have joined the security force to watch over the priceless reference books that were stolen by the British during the Revolutionary War, which were only slowly recovered after years of trying. One spirit who donated them to the library, is the most diligent one).

Custer House, ND (Spirits of the Custer family and their military officers all gather here. Mrs. Custer is attached to all the original family pictures, and all the Custer belongings on display, while General Custer still loves his possessions as well. The spirits of the officers still love the pool table!)

Belcourt Castle, RI (There were spirits attached to some of the antiques that were on display).

McRaven House, MS (The spirit of Mary is attached to all of her personal items that were in her trunk, especially her wedding shawl. A Civil War stretcher and items in the original kitchen also have spirits attached to them).

MANIFESTATIONS

A large range of personalities keep the living company. It is no wonder that no one since Leland French tried to actually live in McRaven. There were enough spectral residents there already, just about everyone who lived there. Death hasn’t changed the old personalities of the spirits, though they are restless because of incidents in their lives.

PARANORMAL FINDINGS

Wow! There have been many sightings of the spirits here, and many interactions with staff and visitors, too numerous to report. McRaven has a household of intelligent spirits, each with their own personality.

A photo of a soldier was taken in the parlor, seen in a mirror.
Other photos of spirits have caught detailed apparitions in the house and on the veranda above the Grecian parlor.

Among every group of paranormal investigators, both private and groups from paranormal shows, none has ever been disappointed.

Haunted Towns: Vicksburg, Season One, Episode 5
I watched this episode of the Wraith Chasers on DiscoveryPlus.
In the upstairs bedroom over the parlor, they made friends with the spirit of John Bob, by offering him a cigar. They caught an apparition on their thermal camera looking right at it.

They went to the Cobb House where General Henry W Slocum lied to John. They communicated with the spirit of John, who led them on the path to where he was killed, by spiking the meter, then led them back to the house. Wow!

Ghost Adventures: Season 19 EPISODE THREE
Zac and his lads were asked by the Mayor of Vicksburg to come and investigate the most haunted places there.

The McRaven investigation was pretty wild. They focussed on the oldest bedrooms where the spirit of Andrew showed them what he does to the docents that he really likes, right on camera.

Zac had brought the two female docents who have had trouble with this spirit, so they could confront him. He told them on an EVP that he was going to die, which means that he repeats his death in a loop, very much like the spirit of John does.

He just wants to have some chuckles, flirting with them in his creepy way. I didn’t get to see the whole reveal or what was recommended because it was cut off too soon by discoveryPlus.

STILL HAUNTED?

A huge Yes Indeed is in order. There are so many spirits still living there that there is no room for living owners to squeeze in.

LOCATION

1441 Harrison Street
Vicksburg, MS 39780

The McRaven House is located at the end of Harrison Street, on a spacious plot of land that is very close to some train tracks of dark importance, still used for present day trains that frequently go by this property.

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SOURCES INCLUDE

• The Haunting of Mississippi, By Barbara Sillery, pg 13-28, Pelican Publishing Company, 2011, pg 13-28.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McRaven_House
• https://www.wlbt.com/2021/09/29/we-spent-night-inside-most-haunted-house-mississippi-heres-what-we-saw/
• https://www.vicksburgpost.com/2018/11/09/haunted-history-several-spirits-supposedly-reside-in-historic-vicksburg-homes/
• https://www.discoveryplus.com/video/haunted-towns/vicksburg-ms-3341045
• https://www.discoveryplus.com/show/ghost-adventures?season=19