Story Four: Seul Choix Point Lighthouse

 

 

672 N. West Gulliver Lake Road, Gulliver, MI
Password: scp2009
Investigative Team:
Upper Peninsula Paranormal Research Society (UPPRS)
Historical Assistance: Val Wheatley
 

 

 

Kat and I were heading to Gulliver in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. We love the U.P. and were looking forward to this road trip. Our destination was the Seul Choix Point Lighthouse.

The name Seul Choix is French and means “only choice.” When the French and Native Americans traveled across Lake Michigan’s northern shores, the point was the only safe harbor for boats to land in a storm. The name Seul Choix is pronounced “Sel-shwa” by the French, but locals used the term “Sis-shwa.”

There are rumors it is haunted by a former lighthouse keeper, Captain Joseph Willie Townshend. We hoped to find out during our investigation.

It was just a six-hour drive from the Detroit area. Not too far for a nice long weekend in the glorious north. Our car was packed with all the necessities, including 39 bottles of water. That way we could stop and visit the many beautiful rest areas along I-75.

Starting out Kat had her video camera ready for any wild animals that may cross our path. I explained we were still in her driveway and she could rest for a few miles.

Several hours later we were approaching the magnificent Mackinac Bridge. Kat’s left hand reached for the video camera, while her right hand pushed the down button of her window. Kat’s #1 rule on the bridge is to roll down the windows of our little car in case it’s blown off the bridge. According to Kat, this will enable us to escape so we can swim to safety. I’ve never told her swimming to safety is not an option, so we continue to roll down our windows.

It was about midday as our car pulled onto the road leading to Seul Choix. Suddenly we were surrounded by dense woods and isolated from the rest of the world. As remote as it was now, we wondered what it might have been like more than 100 years ago.

Continuing along this lonely road, there was movement in the trees. A family of deer appeared. Kat turned on her video camera and captured the deer as they took a leisurely stroll across the dirt road. I asked if she got them. In disgust she replied, “Through the bug splattered window. Maybe we’ll spot them again when we get to the on top of the lighthouse.”

I agreed, “That would be an awesome shot.”

Through the trees the imposing tower of Seul Choix Point Lighthouse appeared. Surrounded by deep blue sky and puffs of white clouds, it was a photographer’s dream. It looked pretty darn good considering it was built in 1895.

We would be joining Upper Peninsula Paranormal Research Society (UPPRS), for this investigation. UPPRS is a well-known group in the Mid West and a TAPS family member. Its founder and field director is Tim Ellis. Upon arrival, Tim introduced us to Brad Blair, historian and lead investigator as well as the other team members, Lance, Matt, Michelle and Ryan. They were already busy unpacking equipment.

Entering the keeper’s quarters, we found ourselves in a small parlor, surrounded by the past. An antique piano sat against one wall, covered with a collection of photographs of past light keepers and their families.

Three ladies sat in the room chatting. One of them stood to greet us, introducing herself as Marilyn Fischer, President of the Gulliver Historical Society. Joining her was Shirley Wardwell, Vice President of the Historical Society and Polly Merrell, lighthouse tour guide.

Marilyn Fischer, President of the Gulliver Historical Society, explains why she believes Captain Joseph Townshend remains at the lighthouse. 

 

These ladies and others from the Seul Choix Historical Society have done an outstanding job of maintaining one of Upper Michigan’s most historic and beautiful lighthouses. It’s through dedicated people like Marilyn, Shirley and Polly that our state’s past is kept alive. We want to thank all of those who volunteer their time to support such a worthwhile cause.

After getting acquainted we invited the ladies to share their stories of ghostly activities. They were happy to do so.

According to Marilyn the most common occurrences are cold spots and unusual smells, especially the pungent odor of cigar smoke. She equates the cigar smoke to Captain Joseph “Willie” Townshend, the second lighthouse keeper and resident spirit. It seems the captain loved cigars, but his wife forbid him to smoke in the house. Now his spirit smokes indoors whenever he chooses.

One area of paranormal activity surrounds the table in the original kitchen. It is the only piece of original furniture and was discovered in the basement several years ago. Once it was brought up and put together, things began to happen. People have heard the sound of the table moving and noticed silverware askew.

A dark mist, shaped like a raven, is often sighted floating across the dining room ceiling. This room contains a Bible where the pages are known to turn when no one is around.

There are accounts of a man with a bushy, white beard being seen. Based on the description, Marilyn believes it is Captain Townshend. The captain has been seen on the main floor and also spotted staring out an upper floor window.

“It’s like a portal from the other side.” That’s how Marilyn describes the mirror in a second floor bedroom where she believes the spirits in the home come and go. On several occasions she has seen the apparitions of two women. Marilyn believes one of them is Grandma Pemble, mother-in-law of a past light keeper. There were many other bizarre stories too numerous to recount.

Kat and I believe the more we know about people from the past, the easier it becomes to understand a haunting. With Marilyn’s vast knowledge, the assistance of historian Vel Wheatley, and our own research, we have come to understand the life and hardships of the Seul Choix Point keepers and their families.

The lighthouse was placed into service in 1892 but, because of construction problems, wasn’t completed until 1895. Overall, the tower stands more than 78 feet with 96 steps. Lighthouse keepers needed good legs for the numerous trips up the stairs each day.

The very first lighthouse keeper was a man by the name of Captain Joseph Fountain, part Chippewa Indian, who managed from 1892 till 1901. For nearly twenty years he dedicated himself to the lighthouse.

An example of his extreme dedication came in September 1894. One night during a fierce storm, the schooner William Home sank just off Seul Choix Point. Massive whitecaps and blinding winds made it treacherous for Captain Fountain as he searched for possible survivors. Ready to give up, his eyes roamed the waters one last time. He saw the only survivor floating ashore, unconscious on a piece of yawl boat. Sadly the body of a woman was found about the same time not far away. Captain Fountain brought the survivor back to the house to recover.

The next lighthouse keeper, from 1901 to 1910, was Captain Joseph Willie Townshend. He lived there with his second wife and three children. Eventually his son, Ivan, would become an assistant keeper.

The Captain was a very stern taskmaster and not well loved by his assistants. He could often be heard snapping out orders to his men. On August 10, 1910, Captain Townshend died, some believe from lung cancer. His death certificate, however, lists cause of death as chronic bronchitis, with senility as a contributing factor. If this is true, the captain’s senility could have been the cause of his anger and harshness in later years.

There are rumors that Captain Townshend was hated by his staff and, after he died, was beaten. There is also talk that he may not have been dead when the beating started. We could find no evidence to support these claims. Whatever happened, it seems certain that Townshend’s last days were confusing and difficult. Marilyn tells us he was embalmed in the basement and laid out in the home until family members from other locations arrived.

After Joseph Townshend’s passing, his son Ivan continued to serve the lighthouse as an assistant. As fate would have it, just two years later, Ivan and his wife faced yet another painful tragedy. Their two-year-old daughter, Margaret, contracted diphtheria and eventually passed away. The loss of their little girl would stay with them the rest of their lives.

Interestingly, William Blanchard, a lighthouse assistant, and not Ivan Townshend would succeed Captain Townshend as keeper. William would hold this position for the next 31 years. While working there he met and married Amanda Pemble

Of course, life at the lighthouse wasn’t all work. William and Amanda enjoyed a little free time and were known to break up the hard, tedious routine with a little fun.

As the daughter of an assistant light keeper recounts, the Blanchards would sometimes pull back the furniture in the parlor, turn on the Edison Reel Phonograph, and have a little square dance party. It was a time everyone at the lighthouse enjoyed.

Amanda Blanchard was a loving, nurturing woman who cared for her family. She also served as midwife for many of the women in the community. In 1912, William and Amanda began their own family and, by 1917, had two little boys, five and three years old. Things were going pretty well for the Blanchards until Amanda received word that her mother, Mary Pemble, had taken ill.

Mary, living a few miles away in Mackinac County, was very close to Amanda, William and the boys. She was known by most simply as Grandma Pemble. In 1917 at the age of 57 Mary Pemble became ill. The family was especially shaken when they learned Grandma Pemble’s illness was the worst of all possible conditions, cancer.

Amanda Blanchard (L) with her mother,
Mary “Grandma” Pemble (R) 

Courtesy Gulliver Historical Society

 

In those days there was little chance of survival from this hideous disease. Surgery, though very risky for patients, was the only possible option for Mary. Even though it would only extend her life one to three years, she chose surgery.

At some point during this period, she came to live with the Blanchard family; after all, Amanda did have some medical experience as a mid-wife. Mary was a strong woman with a strong will, but it seemed the disease was stronger. In mid-January 1919, the doctor stopped by and the news wasn’t good.

The most the doctor could do was give Mary drugs, such as morphine or opium to control the pain. Her condition declined as February faded away.

It was in those last few days of February 1919, as Mary lingered somewhere between life and death, an intense storm began to build in the west. When it reached the northern coast of Lake Michigan, it had become one of northern Michigan’s worst blizzards.

Gale force winds exceeding 60 miles an hour lashed the shores of Seul Choix Point and ravaged the lighthouse. Wind twisted the trees as if wheat in a field, slamming against the walls of the home. Like an invading army the wind and snow smashed the windows and assaulted the rooms.

It must have been terrifying for the children as William and Amanda rushed to board-up the windows against the freezing onslaught of snow. In the midst of all this lay Mary Pemble. What horror must have been going through her confused mind? Drugs and pain mingled with the sound of frightened children, shattering glass and the sudden, hard bite of cold. It must have seemed a living nightmare. Did she know what was happening or think she was in hell?

In time, the strength of the storm subsided, the winds calmed, and the life of Grandma Pemble was swept away.

After the storm travel was impossible for several days. The lighthouse was completely inaccessible. As a temporary measure, William Blanchard placed his mother-in-law in a section of the home where it was cold to preserve her remains. As Marilyn tells us, the area Mary was taken now contains the lighthouse and coast guard museum.

Kat and I wondered if the energies from any of these powerful events in the lighthouse’s history had left an imprint. We hoped tonight’s hunt would give us answers.

Before night settled, Kat and I wanted to check the top of the lighthouse. Tim and Brad didn’t plan on investigating up there. They had never captured evidence in the tower, but really, how can you go to a lighthouse without climbing the tower. We ascended the narrow, winding, winding, winding… did we mention winding… stairway. Though not as tall as some of the lighthouses we have visited, the stairs seemed unusually steep and narrow. It was then we remembered our unused gym memberships and fear of heights.

Winding lighthouse stairs 

 

At the top some UPPRS members were enjoying the incredible sunset over Lake Michigan. Kat and I smiled and nodded looking relaxed and nonchalant hoping no one would notice our gasps for air. One of them turned and pointed. I looked in that direction and saw a small cluster of deer grazing in the grass. I wheezed at Kat, “Get some video of the deer.”

Gripping the railing tightly with both hands, she wheezed back “No, I’m good here and I got em earlier as we were driving in.” Apparently the bug-splattered window from her earlier video was no longer a problem.

Eventually we recovered and were able to appreciate the panoramic and peaceful scene before us. Dense woods opened to the wide expanse of Lake Michigan. The warm, amber glow of the sun spilled golden light over the water as it vanished beyond the horizon.

View at the top of the light tower 

 

Turning around the cramped chamber of the tower, we quickly understood why Tim and Brad would not be investigating this area. The noise from the motor turning the still functional light was very loud, making EVP work out of the question. In addition, the staircase was so narrow and winding it would be impossible to position a video camera to cover more than a few feet.

Night was approaching and it was time to begin the investigation. UPPRS had their equipment positioned. They would be using video cameras and audio recorders strategically placed throughout the living quarters and basement. Members would carry thermo gages and EMF meters to check for sudden temperature variations or spikes in electromagnetic fields that may signal the beginning of paranormal activity.

The Upper Peninsula Paranormal Research Society members.
L to R: Tim, Lance. Michelle, Ryan, Matt and Brad. 

 

This group also used Faraday cages for their audio recorders. A Faraday cage is a mesh container, made of a conducting material like metal or copper, into which the recorder is placed. Such an enclosure blocks out external static electric fields eliminating radio signal interference.

In the basement a fairly new piece of equipment was going to be tested. It was designed by UPPRS on the premise that spirits communicate by drawing energy from sources that generate electromagnetic fields. What they built was a mobile device, connected to its own power source that created a strong energy field. A video recorder was positioned near by in case a spirit did materialize.

With everything ready to go, we went dark. My first tour of duty would be with Brad’s team starting with a short stay in the captain’s kitchen. I took a photo of the table to log placement of dishes and silverware. If one of the spirits should decide to play with the table setting, as they are known to do, we would know.

Captain’s kitchen frequently has place settings and chairs moving. 

 

EVP questions were asked as we watched and waited. When nothing out of the ordinary happened we moved to the next location. Before leaving I placed an audio recorder on the table to record any possible anomalous sounds or voices that might occur later in the evening.

Our next stop was the basement. I followed the two men in the dark through a maze of small, cluttered rooms. Brick walls were stained and chipped with age. Each layer of peeling paint revealed another decade of the building’s life.

We stopped in the section where Joseph Townshend’s body was supposedly drained and embalmed. With a certain sense of foreboding, I scanned the sink and surrounding gloom. Dark streaks of rust stained the sink and gave the appearance of blood. I couldn’t seem to look away. How appropriate that such a foul place would be used for this purpose.

Basement sink rumored to have a horrible past. 

 

Brad began the EVP session. Our trio spent considerable time by the portable energy source hoping to draw out whatever spirits might remain.

Except for an eerie feeling, likely associated with the basement’s dark and dingy atmosphere, this session was uneventful. The group continued its investigation on the outside grounds then moved back inside to the second floor bedrooms. Unfortunately, things were pretty uneventful for our team all night.

Meanwhile Kat was upstairs with Matt and Michelle from UPPRS. The two went into the captain’s room while Kat stopped next door. Designed with a dark Victorian theme, this small room was filled with a collection of period pieces. The motionless form of a mannequin was standing beside the bed wearing a bonnet and dressed in a long black gown.

Turning, Kat stared into the mirror Marilyn believed was the home’s portal to the other side.

She silently watched and waited, but the only thing that stared back was her own reflection and the frozen face of the mannequin.

Hearing Matt and Michelle begin their EVP session, she went to join them. The captain’s room, like the other, was small and neat—not much space by today’s standards. A small chest and bed filled the room. To the side, standing silent vigil was another mannequin dressed in an elegant wedding gown.

Matt tempted Joseph Townshend to come out with cigars he brought for the captain. When that didn’t seem to work, Michelle took her turn. She spoke of her Ojibwa heritage. It was then she felt a change in temperature. Kat’s thermo gage showed an increase going from 64 to 68.

As Michelle continued to talk about the Ojibwa people, the temperature rose to 72 and stayed there for a moment before dropping to 64. What was interesting is that the room’s temperature remained steady. It was only the area around Michelle that fluctuated. Since she wasn’t sitting near a vent or window the cause of the change was curious.

It was during our break sometime after midnight when a few members of UPPRS and myself heard music, almost like a trumpet. It was emanating from the rooms just off the kitchen. This was a newer section of the lighthouse where the assistant keepers and families used to stay. After a thorough examination, the source of the sound could not be found.

Some time later, Kat was drawn to the back to the museum. It was the room Marilyn had pointed out earlier as the area Mary “Grandma” Pemble’s body had been placed. There seemed to be a slightly different atmosphere here than in the other rooms.

Feeling a sense of anticipation, Kat placed her audio recorder on a table and began a short series of questions, pausing after each. “We’d like to hear from you please. Just tell us your name. How old are you? What happened to you while you were here?”

After a brief period of time she turned and left. The recorder continued to run. Kat came downstairs and joined the others for a much needed break.

When the break was over, Kat followed Brad and Ryan to the upstairs bedroom believed to be the children’s room. Earlier in the evening, when I was there with Brad, he had placed a toy wooden rocking horse on an old sewing machine table and positioned a video camera to record any movements.

Museum room where Grandma Pemble’s body is
believed to have been placed after her death. 

 

Brad began encouraging any child spirit to move the rocking horse. His final remarks, “Let us know if there is any type of sign you can give us, something unmistakable? If you can show yourself to us or one of our camera setups, make this little horse move, speak to us. We’d like to see you.”

All eyes remained fixed on the little rocking horse. EMF and temperature readings remained steady. With everything unchanged and no unusual sounds being heard, Brad decided to end the session.

The night’s investigation was over. It ran seamlessly thanks to the organized and efficient Upper Peninsula Paranormal Research Society. Working with Tim, Brad and their group of experienced investigators was a pleasure. They are a professional and committed team looking for the paranormal truth. We look forward to working with them in the future.

Kat and I left with a certain sense of disappointment. If Captain Townshend or other resident lighthouse spirits remained they were elusive this evening.

Through the years we have been on well over 100 investigations, and of those only a handful produced evidence. We would have to wait until all the material was reviewed to see if anything turned up. This was something UPPRS, Kat and I would be doing over the next several weeks.

It was our audio/video review ritual. We came in Monday morning not speaking to each other. Listening and watching hours of audio and video can be boring. Some days it puts us in a bad mood. That Monday morning was one of those “some days.” We have learned there are times when not saying anything to each other is better.

By late afternoon we finished going over video and found one possible audio anomaly. It occurred when Kat was in the children’s room with Brad and Ryan. Just as they were leaving, the audio on her camera seemed to pick up the soft words, “Come back.” It was faint, but clarity was improved with a little audio adjustment. Some believe this is an actual EVP while others think it may be just an anomalous sound. It is on our Web site to review.

Evening approached and we were tired. With a full schedule for the next few days, further review would have to wait until the following week.

Later in the week Tim emailed a couple of suspect audio clips that were recorded upstairs while he was running and EVP session. It’s believed the soft feminine voice said, “Here’s captain.” Upon review we all agreed it was likely voices from other team members. The voice on the second clip could not be understood. Tim suggested it might be Native American.

That motivated us to continue reviewing audio. Starting fresh the following Monday, maintaining our ritual of silence, the earphones went on and we began to pick up slight murmurs. Initially, the disembodied voices were such a low decibel they were almost imperceptible.

Most were residual, an imprint energy of a past event. One such example was captured in the hallway outside the assistant keepers’ kitchen.

“Get out Hanson.”

Did the spirit of Keeper Blanchard speak those words as he directed his assistant, William Hanson? Hanson served under Blanchard for many years before taking over the role of lighthouse keeper in 1942.

During the night’s investigation, a recorder was left in the basement. Several EVPs were captured. One residual voice refers to nothing in particular. Brad and a member of his team were checking the portable energy source when this comes across, “You hate someone.”

Another EVP responds to a question Brad asked. “Marilyn spends a lot of time here… is there anyone here that’s attached to her… that might be sticking around here to see her?” The sharp, quick reply, “No.”

Additional voices captured include, “Look at me, Diamo” and “Get out of the snow.” Whether Diamo is a person’s name or just a word is unclear. No one with that name could be associated with the lighthouse. Other disembodied voices can be heard in our Web site’s Secret Room.

The next series of audio was a bit surprising. It occurred at the time Kat went to the coastguard museum and asked a few questions. It would appear that someone was attempting to reach out to Kat. Initially the words were overlooked. Some of the words are unclear but definitely a voice attempting to communicate.

Here is our interpretation.

Kat asks, “Just let us know your name.”

Response: “Mary.”

“How old are you?” The response was unclear.

Next question, “What happened to you while you were here?”

Response: “Died in snow.”

Other words followed, but their interpretation remains elusive. Then just moments after Kat left the room came a loud, clear, almost desperate, “No.” It’s as if whoever remained wanted to be heard, wanted someone to know they were still there.

What stands out is the first direct response, “Mary.” Our thoughts were immediately drawn to Mary Pemble who died during the snowstorm.

When Kat asked what happened to the spirit, the reply, “Died in snow.” Certainly that would be an accurate description of Mary’s death. It’s particularly significant because when the storm blew in the windows, the interior of the house literally filled with snow. Even though Grandma Pemble wasn’t actually outside in the snow, she obviously died in the midst of a major storm.

Another EVP was captured after Kat left to joined the others in the work area. Tim had been playing a collection of songs to try and attract the spirits, including The Edmund Fitzgerald and classics from the early 1900s.

The group was teasing him because he had such old-fashioned music stored in his computer’s music library. To prove he was a hip man of the 21st century, Tim began to blast out Paralyzer by Finger Eleven. He cranked up the speakers to maximum volume. We all enjoyed Tim’s coolness and his music. It seemed, however, that at least one unseen spirit disagreed. In the dark room away from our group, the recorder picked up a disembodied voice, “Too …too loud,” or, “Too… too High.” Apparently someone didn’t appreciate Finger Eleven.

It was around 1:00 a.m. when Kat removed the recorder from that back room. Leaving, she gave a verbal time stamp to the audio misreading the time, saying it was ten minutes after two.

Fortunately the spirit in this room was intelligent and corrected Kat. The words, “No. One,” were recorded.

For years Kat and I have wondered if Seul Choix Point Lighthouse is really haunted. Since the 1960s there has been much publicity surrounding the ghostly folklore and personal experiences encountered by many. Before our investigation we had never seen or heard valid evidence to support its wonderful ghost stories. In the back of our minds, we always suspected the stories were simply a way to draw tourists.

We have changed our minds, even though we didn’t see the captain or catch a whiff of his cigar smoke. What we did find was the possibility that several different spirits may remain. The EVP evidence would indicate both residual and intelligent paranormal activity. It is possible Captain Joseph Willie Townshend is one of them.

However, what makes us want to return is what happened in the coast guard museum. It appears someone is anxiously trying to reach out and communicate, someone with the first name of Mary. We wonder if Mary Pemble isn’t asking for help to find peace. Perhaps she remains confused, uncertain of what happened that fateful, stormy night. If it is Mary Pemble’s spirit that remains in the quiet back room what she needs or wants remains unknown. Perhaps one day she’ll find her way to the other side.