Haunting in Missouri - 1876 Newspaper Article

I was googling old newspapers on an unrelated topic when I came across an old newspaper item dated 1876 about a haunting in Missouri. The area where it took place no longer exists but the town of Belle seems to be in the general vicinity. If anyone has heard of this before or knows the area as it is today, I'd love to hear about it.

What strikes me with this item is how similar it is to the beginning of the film The Exorcist. I wonder if the writers found this story and incorporated it (although I believe it is a fairly common kind of haunting).

Here is the text and I will supply the link afterward:

A Young Lady, the Unwilling Attraction of a Mystical Visitant

The vicinity of Galloway's Prairie has been the scene of considerable excitement recently, on account of strange and mysterious occurrences at the residence of Martin Rogers, Esq.of this neighborhood. Several evenings since, the attention of the family was attracted to thumpings or rapping, which seemed to emanate from between the celling and weather boarding of the room. Mr. Rogers, supposing the noise to be occasioned by rats, struck upon the wall immediately over the rappings, when, to his surprise, no cessation of the strange noise followed, but the harder Mr. R. struck the wall the louder the thumping sounded. The noises continued nightly, to the great annoyance ot the family.

A peculiarity of the rapping is that it commences as soon as Miss Mary, a daughter of Mr. R, retires, and is in close proximity to her bed. The bed has been moved to different parts of the room, but the What-Is-lt Invariably and immediately follows. It is noticeable also that when Miss Mary takes the Bible to bed with her the rapping ceases, but as soon as the Bible is taken from the bed it commences again. The only explanation of the mysterious phenomenon that I have heard is that the noises are spirit rappings. Many persons have visited the place to witness the strange proceedings, and all have, to say the least, been astonished. The spirit (as I may call it) converses by rapping, in an Intelligent and satisfactory manner, and answers all questions put to it with a correctness which surprises every one.

Now, the manifestations of this invisible power are very unreasonable, in the light of human philosophy; nevertheless, the truth of the foregoing statement of its proceedings will be attested by numerous Intelligent and respectable citizens among whom Mr. Rogers aud family, A. J. and Hannah Bachues, Mollie Jones, W. P. and Hents Watson, and William Haley all of Galloway's Prairie.

Link here: Dallas Daily Herald

a reply to: Splodge

That is spooky. I wonder whatever became of this...

I did some searching for more info yesterday but alas there doesn't seem to be any more to be found. I did find what I think is the father's death certificate (Flu in 1916), though, but couldn't positively identify anything relating the daughter without forking out money to a genealogy-type site.

What I'm thinking is that a story like this might possibly have been passed down via word of mouth and someone from Missouri might know of it or something like it. Come on Missourians (?), where are you?

Many persons have visited the place to witness the strange proceedings, and all have, to say the least, been astonished. The spirit (as I may call it) converses by rapping, in an Intelligent and satisfactory manner, and answers all questions put to it with a correctness which surprises every one.

wow, that is awesome. it was so crazy that it made the newspaper. an oldy and a goody. would be awesome if there was some reference to where the house was or if the house was still standing. obviously they were a religious family, wouldn't be surprised if they just had the house exorcised/cleansed.

Sorry, Sugar Hill Gang. The "first rapper" was long before your time.