Old Savior Rectory, February 2011
Investigation Team: Trish, Dave, and Steve
Weather- Cold and clear, temperature in the 30's
We were met at the Rectory in Jacksonville by American Ghost Society Representatives, Loren Hamilton, Kelly Davis, and Del Dawdy, as well as about 15 other individuals from around Illinois and Indiana to investigate this allegedly haunted location. The rectory is unlike many of the locations that we have visited in that it is a beautiful, cozy building still used to this day for events.
We started out the evening breaking into three groups. One group went to the second floor where the bedrooms are located, one to the first floor living area, and the third group started in the basement. The basement is typical of most basements we visit, old and musty. If I were a spirit I probably wouldn't reside in the basement when there were much nicer areas to habitat, particularly at the Rectory which is beautiful inside!
Once the walk through was completed individuals told of any experiences they may have had. Although Trish, Steve and I had nothing unusual happen, one man said he was overcome by an overwhelming feeling of sadness while in the basement. Another person thought they had heard a radio upstairs, (one of the claims of the place). Another woman had a feeling of extreme discomfort in the room at the top of the stairs.
We decided to focus our attention on that bedroom at the top of the steps where one of the Pastors actually passed away. We did an EVP session and used dowsing rods while in the room. Steve had some success with the rods and we captured a very strange EVP during this time, a moaning female type of sound which we have added at the end of the report. (rest in peace maybe?). There were only the three of us in the room at the time, door closed, but it sounds like the voice is right in the room with us. We don't know who it may be considering most of the stories emanating from this location are of pastors who still roam the building. Trish refused to enter this room alone later, which is uncharacteristic of her, even though at the time she had no idea what we had captured on our recording.
Among the other EVPs we captured, I have included a soft recording taken in the basement's old wine cellar. Trish was talking about liking blueberry wine and a distant voice says "gooseberry"! Once again, we were the only ones in the basement at that time.
All in all it was a good time. Despite the large number of individuals contaminating most of our recordings, we still managed to capture some interesting EVPs, albeit, it is difficult to say profoundly. I hope to go back for a private investigation with the rest of the CAPS members in the future.