#witch grave

Mary Nasson

York, Maine

1774

One of the few “witch graves” documented in the US.

The grave everyone in this small Oklahoma Town whispers about sits at the edge of this rural cemetery — the so-called Witch’s Grave.

The inscription reads:

“I can’t bring him back again, so I shall go to him.”

Some say it’s a curse. Some say it’s a vow. Either way, it’s one of the most haunting epitaphs I’ve ever seen.

I went with my sisters, just before dusk, the air thick with that small-town superstition that clings to you on the drive home.

I made a wish to the York Witch for you, me, and us

I never get what I want

I always get what I deserve

I never get

I never get

Nestled amidst the serene beauty of York, Maine, lies a historical treasure shrouded in mystery and intrigue – the Witch Grave in Old Burying Yard. This ancient cemetery, dating back to the 17th century, holds within its grounds a grave that has captured the imagination of locals and visitors alike for generations. Old Burying Yard, also known as First Parish Cemetery, is one of the oldest…

Elizabeth “Bessie” Budd Graham

Elizabeth was born in the witchy month of October. Unlike the rest of the cemetery markers, and contrary to Christian tradition, the gravestone faces West. Most mysterious of all is Elizabeth's epitaph, an excerpt from Lenore, Edgar Allen Poe's ode to a dearly departed young love:

“Ah! Broken is the golden bowl. The spirit flown forever! Let the bell toll! A saintly soul Floats on the Stygian River; Come let the burial rite be read The funeral song be sung; An anthem for the queenliest dead That died so young A dirge for her the doubly dead In that she died so young.”

Rumors soon circulated that Elizabeth had bewitched her husband into marrying her. It was said that she was a "good witch," who cast spells of love and protection. No one has ever been able to find any documentation associating Elizabeth with witchcraft. It is much more likely that her heartbroken family simply wanted to honor a young woman cut down in life much too soon. And who better to do that than Edgar Allen Poe?

However, the legend of Tallahassee's very own "white witch" persists. To this day, many curious visitors and fellow "witches" visit the grave to pay homage and leave gifts for "the doubly dead"(witches must be killed twice) Elizabeth.