Hager House

When the Hager house in Washington county is mentioned in terms of haunts, it is usually noted that two families, the Rohrers and the Hammonds, are connected to the potential hauntings of the house. As it turns out, these two families are actually directly related to each other.

Jonathan Hager and his wife Elizabeth came to Western Maryland about 1739 and purchased several plots of land in what would become Hagerstown. Jonathan built his house on top of two freshwater streams and named the property Hager’s Fancy.

In 1747, Jonathan transferred his right to his land to Jacob Rohrer. In 1804 the house became the property of Jacob’s son Frederick, who sold it to Michael Hammond in 1813.

Catherine Rohrer, daughter of Martin, married Michael Hammond in 1805 and the house stayed in their family for many years. Ownership of the house passed to David C. Hammond and his sister, Susan Armstrong (wife of Alex). It went then to Armstrong heirs, until the city of Hagerstown purchased the property.

In the 1840’s, a large number of family members died, some of whom probably  died in the house. Four of the grown children of Michael and Catherine Hammond died in a three-month period in 1844, and 3 infant children and Alex and Susan (Hammond) Armstrong died between 1838 and 1844. One way or another, that’s a lot of potential ghosts!