Not the Bay, Ira… the River.

The Parsonage c. 1900 — where Mrs. Crouch lived

As far as I know (though these days, I am sometimes a bit forgetful), I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Ira Wesley Kitmacher.  He lives in nearby Ocean Park, according to his biographical material in the October 22nd “Our Coast Weekend” which is the weekly insert in the Chinook Observer and in The Daily Astorian.

It was only after Nyel questioned me about Mr. Kitmacher’s  “Haunted History Series Part II” — as in, “Did this guy ever talk to you?” — that I read his article and was quite interested in some of the familiar ghost information printed therein.  (And how did I happen to miss Part I, anyway?) The answer to Nyel’s question is “no” but I’m going to assume from some of what he has written that he has read either my book,  Ghost Stories of the Long Beach Peninsula, or some of the other articles or blogs I’ve written — especially about Mrs. Crouch, the ghost that roams our house.  As far as I know, no one else has written about her and yet he talks of her in very familiar terms.

Several other mentions hopped out at me that were also covered in my 2014 ghost book.  Both were “first time” ghost stories, at least in written form.  One was as a result of extensive interviews I did with the niece of Aunt Frances Sargant (but perhaps Ira also interviewed her?) and the other was about the boys who drowned at Sprague’s Hole — which was not in Oysterville, Mr. Kitmacher.  It was in Ocean Park.  And only one (not all three) of the boys is hanging around in ghostly form.  Both “The Ghost of Aunt Frances” and “The Tragedy at Sprague’s Hole” were based on primary research and interviews done by me.  As far as I know, like the Mrs. Crouch stories, neither Aunt Frances nor Phillip Brooks had ever been written about previously.

Sargant House, 1918 — where “Aunt Frances” grew up

I should point out here, AGAIN, that while I do not really believe in ghosts, I do find stories of them a wonderful vehicle for documenting the history of this area.  It’s the history of the buildings, the people who lived in them, their occupations, and the factual information about their lives that I am interested in.  When there is a ghost story associated with any of that history — so much the better.  I go to great lengths to research and document the historical information surrounding the ghost stories I write about.

So… it’s one thing to assume that a ghost story (or three or ten) are “out there” in the community and that there is no necessity of giving credit where credit is due.  But it is quite another to change historic facts.  Sara Crouch was a real person.  My grandfather and his brothers and sisters all knew her.  No doubt everyone who lived in Oysterville in 1902/1903 knew her.  She was drowned in Willapa River (not in the Bay) and she was buried at Fern Hill Cemetery in Menlo which was the closest burying ground to the site where her body was recovered.  She was not buried in Oysterville.  Sara’s demise was well documented in local contemporary newspapers and court documents.

Frances Sargant was also a real person, the aunt of my childhood friend, Sally Sherwood.  Sally shared her memories with me in many communications by telephone and email in the early 2000s and my impression is that she had not talked of her experiences before.  Ditto my friend Nanci Main.  She shared the story of Phillip Brooks who spent his young boyhood the house where she now lives.  Phillip’s mother, Mrs. Brooks, was a teacher in Oysterville much beloved by our family; Phillip’s brother was a classmate’s of my uncles Willard and Edwin.  The article about the boys who drowned in Sprague’s Hole was published in the April 6, 1912 Ilwaco Tribune — a factual account concerning a real tragedy.

The Brooks House, c 2000 — where Phillip Brooks lived in the early 1900s.

I’d really like to talk to Mr. Kitmacher to learn if my irritation with him is well-founded or if I am being patently unfair.  I looked for him on FaceBook, and in the local phonebook to no avail.  If you know him, please ask him to give me a call.  I’m also curious about his “soon to be published book, A Road-trip Through the Most Haunted Place in America: the Graveyard of the Pacific.  (And how do you take a road trip through the “Graveyard of the Pacific” anyway? As most of us know, the reference is to the area where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean — the area, according to maritime historian James A. Gibbs, in which “the number of vessels which have sustained damage or been lost… would likely exceed two thousand, with more than fifteen hundred lives claimed.) I’d like to know if his upcoming book includes the stories mentioned in the Coast Weekend account.  And if he credits his sources.  Or am I being way too picky?

 

 

6 Responses to “Not the Bay, Ira… the River.”

  1. Noslo says:

    A Google search of the name shows a retired attorney from California with an Ocean Park address. There is also a phone number listed.

  2. sydney says:

    Really? You’d think an “attorney” should know better. Or maybe that’s not accurate, either.
    Thanks for checking. I’ll see if I can come up with it.
    Sydney

  3. sydney says:

    I found his address but no telephone number.
    Sydney

  4. Noslo says:

    Since this is public information I don’t suppose there is a problem posting this, but if you would rather just consider it a personal message that’s fine by me. I am guessing this might be a cell phone due to the area code not being local: (571) 309-7334. The email address listed is irakitmacher@yahoo.com. Amazon has a book he wrote but there is no author information on the link.

  5. Ira says:

    Hi Sydney and Happy Holidays!

    I recently came across your blog post regarding the articles I wrote which were published by The Astorian’s Coastal Weekend this past October. I’d like to respond to your concerns.

    I’ve been researching and writing a book about the haunted history of this area for the last year or so. The book has been a labor of love, as I find this area to be both beautiful and intriguing. I have researched and read thousands of articles and informational materials in an attempt to present the most comprehensive history that I could. I consulted materials ranging from the mid-17th century to today, resulting in well over 100 sources cited within my book. I provided the Astorian with these references prior to their publishing the articles, but as the articles were very brief excerpts, they did not include them. I know the importance of and ensure the proper citing of source materials.

    Related to the ghost of Mrs. Crouch, I included information from two sources, both cited within my book. The first source I cited is a March 25, 2008 (updated in 2018) Chinook Observer article that you wrote entitled “Mrs. Crouch, the Preacher’s Wife.” The second source I cited is a post on Interment.net, Cemetery Records Online dated October 23, 2003 and written by T. Sheldon which addresses the burial of Mrs. Crouch (and others). T. Sheldon wrote, in part, the following regarding the Oysterville Cemetery: “[…] I walked [through] this cemetery in the summer of 2003. […] I did much research on it, comparing these findings (302 records) with my reading […] Crouch, Sarah, (Drowned, Supposed to be here) […] Due to top tidal activity, this point is a location of many washed up drowning victims […]” I read this to mean Mrs. Crouch is buried in the Oysterville Cemetery and drowned in the nearby bay. If this information is not accurate, I am happy to update or delete it.

    Related to the three boys who drowned, in my book I indicate they drowned in a pond in Ocean Park in 1912 and that the house of one the victims, located in Oysterville, has reported strange disturbances. Related to the ghost of Frances Sargant which has been reportedly seen in the house she lived in on Willapa Bay, I describe her suicide in Portland at age 25. I found these stories on a number of internet sites and in a newspaper article; I cited these sources in my book.

    While writing my book, I became aware of two local authors (there may be more) who have written about the haunted history of this area; you are one. I specifically and intentionally did not read these books so as to not be influenced by them. I did come across two stories, one each recounted by these authors, which I included and cited within my book.

    As an author who, in part, focuses on the area’s haunted stories and tales, I believe you’d agree that these stories are intended to be told and re-told in the community(s) and beyond. They are a form of history for each of us to consider and interpret. This should serve to enrich and preserve our history and inform interested readers. Whether or not the stories and tales are discussed in a prior work or known should not be an obstacle to examining them further, of course with proper citations.

    In terms of the title of the book and the ability to take a road-trip through The Graveyard of the Pacific, multiple sources describe the term as referring to both the coastal land areas and waters stretching from Tillamook Bay in Oregon to the Juan de Fuca Strait in Canada. The national television program “Ghost Adventures” focused on the area over four 2018 aired episodes, and described the area, in part: “[…] darkness plagues both land and sea-the ocean has claimed thousands of shipwrecks and countless lives, while unexplained deaths, diseases, fires and murders have impacted areas around the shoreline […] underground tunnels […] Hostel […] Military Base […] Lighthouse […]”

    From your blog, I know you have my email address and, as your neighbor, I am disheartened that you did not reach out to me about your concerns. Please let me know if you have any questions or have any additional thoughts.

    Wishing you the best, Ira

  6. sydney says:

    Thanks so much for this lengthy reply to my blog, Ira. I have answered by email but want to add that I think my basic concerns have been with the history of real places and real people. Ghost stories have a way of becoming part of the folklore of a place and I have concerns about the historical accuracy as the stories morph from one telling to the next. I don’t think there’s a solution, really. Even the history itself “changes” as more information is uncovered and becomes available. So, thank you for being instrumental in those realizations! I’m not sure there is a “solution” to the problem as long as ghost stories are used as a vehicle for delivering historic information.

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