New Hampshire’s ghosts are among our specialties at Hollow Hill, but this is one ghost story that we removed from our website for several years. Now, we’ve decided to reveal everything that we know about the ghosts–and possibly demons–at Wilton’s beautiful Vale End Cemetery.
The ‘Blue Lady’ is one of Vale End’s most famous ghosts. We’ve never seen her, but we’ve sensed her many times. Her headstone, shown in the photo at the top of this article, is broken but still majestic. It bears her maiden name–Mary Ritter–as well as the married name of her widower’s second wife, Mary Spaulding. (The second Mary Spaulding was, before her marriage to Isaac Spaulding, Mrs. Mary Flynn Colburn.)
Mary Ritter Spaulding was the mother of seven children between her April 1795 marriage, and her April 1808 death. Her husband, Isaac Spaulding, was a tanner and a descendant of an early Jamestown settler.
According to folklore, Mary Ritter Spaulding was a good, church-going woman who healed with herbs and prayer. No one is certain why she haunts Vale End Cemetery (and possibly Langdell House, where she may have lived), but her appearance is dramatic.
Many Wilton, NH, residents have seen Mary Ritter Spaulding as ‘the Blue Lady’ over her grave. She appears on warm, foggy nights, especially in the spring and fall, especially around Halloween.
According to one witness, she manifests as a bright, pale blue column of light, similar to a transporter beam in the TV show, Star Trek.
The column of light is about three feet wide, and starts a foot or two over her grave. It is about six feet tall. It seems to vibrate with energy. (However, when I asked the witness whether the light vanished abruptly or faded away, he looked at me with amusement and replied, “I don’t know. We were having an egg fight.”)
We’ve checked nearby roads, houses, and outbuildings, and there is no logical reason for this column of light to appear at all, much less as often as reported.
Real ghosts’ stories – Notes from the other side
Mary Ritter Spaulding remembers her life as a series of pregnancies, during which she was uneasy about something that she has never defined. When her last child was born, it was a turning point for her. However, while genealogical records show Lyman (born 1806) as her youngest child, she insists that James was her last. We have found no records of a son named James, and perhaps that has something to do with her haunting.
Since her death, there has been something–perhaps a lie–that she has not resolved. I’m not sure if it was her own deceit, or a lie that someone told to her. She seems to be more troubled than angry or upset.
However, Mary Ritter Spaulding is not alone at Vale End Cemetery, and she may remain there to defend her family–or perhaps the living–from less pleasant spirits at Vale End and nearby Wilton, NH.
One more note about the grave of ‘the Blue Lady’ is important to note: From time to time, people perform rituals at her headstone. Near it, you may see shiny coins or other evidence of this. Please do not remove anything from her grave; that is inviting trouble.
Next, a list of the other spirits at Vale End Cemetery: More ghosts at NH’s Vale End Cemetery.
my best friend tyler went ther after curfew and his friend found a tenis ball by her grave. he threw the ball into the bushes right next to her grave. less than 3 mins. later the ball rolled back to in front of her grave. good luck if you visit. dont go alone
my moms closest friend growing up is related to the blue lady. the blue lady is her second aunt i dont think of her as creepy but as part of the family.
There is a good story that goes around about Mary Spaulding…(the blue lady).
The story goes that she was the daughter of a rich father and the sister to 7 children…while her father was dying it was said that she went around the house and brutally hacked all her siblings to death in order to inherit her fathers fortune. The townspeople found out and soon after hung her in Vale End Cemetary.
lol just the story but it truly adds to the scary ghost factor.
That’s a great story, ConMan, but far removed from the truth. (Then again, you probably knew that since you said your email address is “blahblah@whocares.com.”)
Mary Spaulding (or Spalding, like the Whitefield, NH inn owned by Jason Hawes & Grant Wilson & their families) was a lovely woman, and very religious according to contemporary stories. She was known for risking her own health to visit families and help the sick and elderly, and perhaps that contributed to her early, tragic death.
Another story on why she haunts vale end is this….Apparently after Mary Ritter’s death which was of unknown causes..her husband married another mary. Her name was mary spaulding. To save money after spauldings death the husband buried Mary Spaulding on top of Mary Ritter…Hence the name on the headstone Mary Ritter/Spaulding….her name was not Mary Ritter Spaulding….
Connor,
You’re correct about the two wives named Mary, but I don’t think you’ve read my other article, The Blue Lady Haunts NH’s Vale End Cemetery.
Speaking about the gravestone, I said, “It bears her maiden name–Mary Ritter–as well as the married name of her widower’s second wife, Mary Spaulding. (The second Mary Spaulding was, before her marriage to Isaac Spaulding, Mrs. Mary Flynn Colburn.)”
In other words, her name was Mary Ritter Spaulding. She was born Mary Ritter, and married Isaac Spaulding.
The second wife was Mary Flynn Colburn Spaulding.
Also, there’s nothing parsimonious about the entire family — including both wives — being buried in the same family plot. It’d be strange if a wife wasn’t buried with the rest of the family.
Sincerely,
Fiona
I visited Vale End Cemetery in Wilton, New Hampshire on Saturday, October 24th, 2009. When I entered the cemetery and drove up in my car through the entrance I could feel a presence around that sacred burial ground, as if someone was watching me. I could feel this presence more as I walked around to investigate the entire cemetery. I am a gifted-sensitive and felt there were three or four ghosts present. I felt the spirits of two female ghosts and one or two male ghosts. I left a coin at the bottom of the headstone of Mary Ritter,and I walked around some more, when I came back to where she was buried five minutes later, I felt a cold spot, when I looked for my coin it was gone from the bottom of the headstone near the ground, instead it had moved by itself and rested on top of the headstone where it is rough. I have always visited haunted houses up to this point. But a visit to Vale End Cemetery was worth the trip. But be careful, because I felt uneasy with some of the spirits that encountered and this cemetery is only open daily from 7am until 7pm. And please do have respect for this place so you will have a safe visit while you are there!
This photo shown above is NOT the Blue Lady’s headstone. Regardless of what this website and other sites say, this is NOT her tombstone.
wow do u now about the story of the lady in the blue house it goes that she tought she was a witch but she was not and her house was blue and it was said that she had 2 blue dogs and all she wore was blue and when she died she was lad to rest on the cemetery next to her blue house then on the day she died it is said that her house peals a different color and her house is locatted first you need to go down straight down liberty avenue untill you reach the cemerty and thats her house
I’m sure that’s intended as amusing fiction.
I grew up in Wilton. The first time I ever went to Vale End to find Mary Ritter’s grave, I walked directly to it without any knowledge of its location. I have been there several times during the day.
Once at night, I went to Vale End. I was pretty intoxicated with a couple of friends-my sober friend stayed in the car waiting for me and my other friend. I took a picture of my friend standing in front of the grave. We were not there long when my sober friend starting honking the horn and yelling for us to get in the car and leave. Apparently she saw an orb floating above my friends head and sure enough, it showed up in the picture. I have been in several areas of Vale End and I have felt many spirits. There IS a known entity there. I know for sure that whatever it is will cling to you and follow you. I experienced this for years. Many times when I am alone doing whatever it may be, I can sense something there.
Also, I lived in a haunted farm house/barn in New Ipswich that was built in 1771. For some reason if spirits know that you know about them, they will make themselves KNOWN even more. I had to deal with this for the time I lived there. It came to the point when I was trying to go to sleep at night, I demanded to be left alone because it was like someone was standing right there looking at me.
I will tell you that if it seems intriguing to visit some place that is known to be haunted; do not even bother to go ‘ghost hunting’ because you will regret it.
Hi, I was in a haunted house for sale somewhere near Amherst when
I was 10 and living in NH. My parents were looking to buy property.
and went to view this house that may have has a spring well on it
and definitely had a hen house. The attic had a very evil presence
in it and even the realtor new the house was strange. Needless to say I cannot remember where the house was.My parents are deceased
and I’m wondering if you have ever heard of other haunted houses
in the area? or where I might look. The encounter I had with this entity has literally “haunted” me for 45 years! I would love to find out more but I’m not sure how to go about it.
Hi Susan,
I’ve heard of many haunted houses around Amherst, NH. Unfortunately — as you probably expected — even having a spring well and a hen house on the property… that doesn’t narrow it down enough for me.
However, one of my readers may recognize this and reply to your comment. I hope so!
If that doesn’t happen, contact a few realtors in the area. You never know… one may reply. After all, the housing market is pretty slow, at the moment.
Sincerely,
Fiona Broome