Mount Ida
Howard County’s Mount Ida has a ghost, but, don’t worry, it’s just Ida, keeping an eye on things. As hauntings go, this one is pretty calm. Occasionally, the sound of jingling keys or a creaking floorboard is heard. Considering that the house saw its fair share of death over the years, it’s almost surprising that things are as quiet as they are.
The house was built about 1833 for William Ellicott, a grandson of Andrew Ellicott, one of the founders of Ellicott City. William married Mary Eleanora Norris in 1831 and the house was no doubt meant to be their family home. That never came to pass as William died in 1836 at age 46. His was the first death to occur in the house.
The record of ownership gets very murky in the years shortly after William’s death. Two years earlier, in 1834, he and his wife placed the property in trust under his mother-in-law, Sarah H. Norris. This was probably done prevent his siblings from swooping in and dividing up the property as William and his wife had no children. What happened to Mary Eleanora, his wife? William is buried in the Ellicott family graveyard in Ellicott City, but where is Mary?
Mount Ida in the Tyson Years Saw Many Deaths
Early in the 1840’s, John Shoemaker Tyson, an attorney and judge purchased the property. His wife was Rachel Snowden and they raised four children in the house. John borrowed money to purchase the home and needed financial help from his sister-in-law, Anna Maria Hopkins. Since she also lived in the house, she was, no doubt, anxious to keep a roof over her head. Anna Maria died on 3/29/1864, the second death in the house. John Shoemaker Tyson followed soon after on 10/2/1864.
John’s wife, Rachel, became the owner after John died and lived there until her death in 1889, making her the fourth death in the house. John and Rachel had four children: Cornelia, John Snowden, Anna and Ida. John died in a freak accident in July of 1890 while fishing on the Gunpowder river near Magnolia in Harford county. Cornelia was the next to die on January 19, 1893, while visiting Washington, DC. Anna died at the home in 1895, the fifth death in the house.
Apparently, Ida lived there alone for quite some time, using a cane to help get around and an ear horn to hear better. She carried a large ring of keys with her at all time and was fastidious about the upkeep of the house.
Most online stories related to Mt. Ida incorrectly list the Judge’s name as John Snowden Tyson. His actual middle name is Shoemaker; John Snowden is his son. Both the Shoemaker and the Tyson families originally settled in the Germantown area of Montgomery county, PA and have many illustrious descendants. You can view Ida’s family tree in my online genealogy database.
After Ida died in 1925, the sixth death in the house, the property was put up for auction. In 1927, it was purchased by Louis and Desiree Clark. It is currently being operated as an upscale inn.