The Haunted Chair at Ash Lawn

Even furniture can be the recipient of ghostly attention in haunted houses.  Not very far from Castle Hill, Virginia, is one of America’s important historical buildings: the country home once owned by former president James Monroe, where he and Thomas Jefferson often conversed and may have made major political decisions.  This haunted houses, small and cozy, was James Monroe’s favorite even after he moved to the bigger place that became his stately home later in his career.  At Ash Lawn he could get away from affairs of state and public attention to discuss matters of great concern with his friend Jefferson, who lived only two miles away at Monticello.

The ghostly occurrences center around a wooden rocking chair in the main room, which has been seen to rock without the benefit of human hands.  It is unknown how many people have seen the chair rock, but Mrs. J. Massey, who lived in the area for many years, is on record as saying, “I will tell anyone and I have no objection to its being known, that I’ve seen not once but time and time again the rocking chair rocking exactly as though someone were in it.  My brother, John, has seen it too.  Whenever we touched it, it would stop rocking.”

Although there has been considerable speculation regarding the nature of this haunted houses, there has thus far been no consensus.  A haunted houses of this vintage has likely been marred by tragedy more than once.  The truth behind the haunted chair at Ash Lawn may never be known.