Churchtown Ghost
A Churchtown ghost? Nocturnal visits of an unearthly sort frightened the residents of the small town of Churchtown in Lancaster County during the early summer of 1914.
The town lived in fear for several weeks. Finally, the caretaker of the Caernarvon Church solved the mystery of the “Churchtown ghost”.
As it turns out, the ghost was actually a wealthy victim of dementia, a woman about 50 years old. She came to Churchtown to see the grave of her father, James L. Cummings, who often spent time in the area before his death.
The article quoted below states that the ‘ghost’ was Francis Bowes Sayre’s first cousin, but, though they are related, she is not his first cousin, but rather his second cousin.
Ghost Woman Sayre’s Cousin 1Baltimore Sun, 7/20/1914
Desire to See Father’s Grave Supposed Cause of Spectral VisitLancaster, PA. July 19. It has become known that Miss Bessie Cummings, who was found by the caretaker of the deserted Presbyterian Church at Churchtown in a starving condition, is a first cousin to Francis Bowes Sayre, President Wilson’s son-in-law.
Her octogenarian mother, Mrs. Catherine Cummings, of New York, formerly of Flatbush, widow of Dr. James L. Cummings, a wealthy physician of that place, has been notified of the finding of her daughter, who left home June 9.
It is believed it was a desire to visit her father’s grave at Churchtown that prompted Miss Cummings to take the trip.
Shortly before she disappeared from New York, Bessie gambled away a large sum of money. The money was part of an inheritance from her uncle, Thomas Cummins. Perhaps the loss inspired her to run to Lancaster County. Her mother’s family had lived in the Churchtown area for many years and were well-established there.2The Evening News, 7/18/1914
Miss Cummins remains a bit of a mystery, but her mother Catherine died in 1920. She had been living in the area for about six years , so perhaps she moved there after Bessie’s journey to the area. She is probably buried with her husband, James, in the Presbyterian cemetery in Churchtown.
Another article provides a bit more information about Bessie, stating that she will be living with her cousin, Blanche Nevin, at Windsor Forge.3The Courier, 7/19/1914
Bess is a cousin of Martha Nevin, a potential ghost of the Sayre Mansion in Bethlehem.