The Para-Historical Research Group

Does the ghost of a pretty young girl who died in 1737 still walk these storied Virginia gardens?? 

 Go to the James River plantations page to find out

 Is this woman behind the haunting at Appomattox Manor?

 Or did she take this secret to the grave.....

              The Van Lew House                             Elizabeth Van Lew

Federal Spy Elizabeth Van Lew, "Crazy Bet" as she came to be known to Richmonders during the Civil War years and afer (So called as she acted loonytoons in order to be allowed to visit Union Officers held at Libby prison...and then help them escape, as she did for more than 300 of them including a descendant of Paul Revere).  She enlisted the help of a slave (Mary Bauser)  in Jefferson Davis's own home to spy on him for the Union. Shes credited with actually effecting the outcome of several battles after providing invaluable information about Confderate troop locations and plans. Her service proved so invaluable to General Grant that after the war, PRESIDENT Grant gave her a job as Richmond's Postmaster, hitherto a post never held by a woman.   This woman's story deserves volumes of its own right, she gave literally all she had for the Union, including her fortune, and to think she did it all under the very eyes of the Confderate Capitol. Even in death she suffered, dying alone having outlived both parents and a brother. The City of Richmond buried her in an unmarked grave and razed her mansion (see photo above)  in Church Hill in 1911. Eventually, the Paul Revere family of Boston erected a gravestone for her from "Boston Friends."  

Click for City Point page to see who might still hanging around Appomattox Manor...

What in the heck is this?? Any ideas? Email us. 

 This photo was taken at Gaines Mill National Battlefield Park, Mechanicsville, VA, in April 2008. Its known that many dead from both sides were buried in the yard around the house... 

Click here for the full Gaines Mill page

Oooh, this must be VA Beach or Cape Cod, right?  WRONG. click for James River Plantations page.

The stretch of the James River running below Westover Plantation.

Historic Westover, legendary home of William Byrd I and II, charles city, Va. Daughter Evelyn Byrd Died on the property of a broken heart and is seen today wandering the garden. If your fascinated by First Family Virginians, If you love Virginia in the spring and summer, and if you love haunted places, it just doesnt get any better than this. Beautiful grounds, breathtaking colors and panoramas, a storied history second only to its neighbor, Berkley Plantation.  If your a romantic, your going to need psycho-therapy after a walk through the gardens. AND dont read the inscription on Evelyn's grave unless you want chills going up your spine and out your skull cap....Go to James River Plantations page.

A cool site and a must-see for those interested in battlefield hauntings

Click here for the paranormal blog site

Who We are, what We do

The Para-Historical Research Group is composed of people who have a passion for research, history, and the paranormal. We come from  law enforcement, private investigations, Military Intelligence backgrounds and often use these skills in implementing our research techniques and in the way we work. Though we are always open to new sites and projects, most of our investigations primarily encompass Civil War battlefields, thus far which have included:

• Gettysburg
• Cold Harbor 
• Gaines Mill
• Malvern Hill
• Seven Pines
• Glendale
• Harrisons Landing
• Petersburg
• Spottsylvania
• Gordonsville
• Sailors (Saylors) Creek
• Five Forks
• Amelia Courthouse
• High Bridge
• Farmville
• Appomattox

Imagine it COVERED WITH DEAD, with WOUNDED screaming out for help but getting none. CLick here to see why It wasnt war...it was MURDER.

Historic Aquia Church in Stafford, VA. Sightings of a young woman in the belfry tower have been reported for over 200 years. click to see for whom the bell tolls.. 

CREEPY:  The Central State Mental Home was founded in the 1880s on land donated by the Mayfield family to the state of VA for the care and treatment of Black mental patients (in those days called  "home for the colored insane"). This was the first of such centers specifically for African American Patients in the nation.  In its hayday it was a cutting edge facility, now you can see whats left. The fact that it required bars and locks tells one something of the spirits which may still roam the grounds, free of worldy restraints...click for the cockade city.

Oh, if the walls could talk.  This old general store (known in civil war times as Sutherland Tavern)  saw Ole Virginny in her heyday, countless confederate armies marched by here throughout the Civil War, you can imagine horses tied to the railings and soldiers in gray milling about,  drinking ice cold lemonade.  The store then witnessed the fateful fall of ole Virginny: Lee lost his last remaining supply line here, precipiating his surrender days later.  Known as the battle of Sutherland Station, on the night of April 2nd, 1865, Federals over took Confederate defenses guarding the critical railway running just on the left side of this store. Lee had to abandon Petersburg that very night.

The house below stands across the road, looking on at its old neighbor as it has since before the nation was divided.  These structures heard the fat lady sing for the Confederacy. click for the cockade city.

House on Sailor's Creek Battlefield which still bears the scars of the battle...click 

Black Day of the Army

Contact Us!

We are avid investigators and do most of our work on Civil War Battlefields, plantations, and other historic places in the Richmond and   surrounding area.  We take our work seriously but we also like to have fun with research and exploration. If you would like to report a haunting or are looking to take part in some investigations, Please click here to leave us an email.

Click here for the paranormal blog site.

The bloody Run of Devils Den, Gettysburg National Battlefield Park

Appomattox Manor Kitchen

Appomattox Manor, the ancestral home of the Eppes family.

Click for City Point page to see who might still be hanging around Appomattox Manor...

Shirley Plantation, Charles City, VA, ancestral home of the Carters and built around 1730.  Robert E. Lee's father, "light horse harry" Lee, married Ann Hill Carter here in 1793.  McClellan protected the house for the rest of the Civil War after residents of the house cared for Union wouned after the battle of Malvern Hill in 1862. Behind the house Theres a exquisite view of the James meandering toward Rockets landing of Richmond. A direct descendant still works the farm here. Its another priceless gem for those who love Virginia history and haunted places. 

Go to James River Plantations page.

Garthwright house, Cold Harbor National Battlefield Park. Fighting swarmed around the house in 1864, soldiers are buried in the family cemetery to the right.

Blandford Church Cemetery, Petersburg, VA. Confederates staged here as part of Lee's petersburg defenses.

Old Central State Mental Home for African Americans, Petersburg, VA, on land donated by the Notable Mayfield family of petersburg.

The Mayfield Mansion today, Petersburg, Va, on the grounds of old Central State.

 The Hiilsman House, Sailor's Creek National Battlefield Park