Governor William Franklin and the Price of Dissent

Dissent: often scorned, sometimes praised, always misunderstood. The American Civil War is sometimes called the Second American Revolution or the Second War of Independence, yet the American Revolution is never referred to as our country’s first Civil War. And why not? One could argue that the situations are exactly the same. In both cases, a percentage of the population wanted to remove themselves from a ruler they perceived as tyrannical. Don’t think Abraham Lincoln was a tyrant? Well, there were plenty of people that didn’t think King George III was either.

A Message Regarding the Proprietary House

The Proprietary House decorated for this past Christmas.

Even though this is my personal blog, I just wanted to take a few moments to discuss the latest goings-on at the Proprietary House in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, of which I was just elected 1st Vice President of their board of trustees. For starters, I have taken down the paranormal blog I was running about the house because there seems to have been some confusion in town as to the blog being an official website of the house, and not just a hobby for me to keep track of different ghostly occurrences. While I had approval of the board president when I started the blog, I want to make it clear that I was not speaking for the house, just myself and those who were with me in the event that something paranormal occured. The blog has been removed, so from this moment forward, any time I feel like writing about ghosts and the house, it will be here, since it is not affiliated in any way—still, any stories at all will probably be saved for October. I would also like to address the latest city-wide condemnation of the Proprietary House, as only caring about ghosts and not wanting to be bothered with history. This is absolutely, categorically false.

Witness History: The Arrest of William Franklin

Come one, come all, to the historic Proprietary House in Perth Amboy, New Jersey on Saturday, June 16 at 1pm! We will be reenacting the unfortunate arrest of the colony’s last Royal Governor, William Franklin, whose argument with his famous rebel father Benjamin caused him to make a decision that would change not only his life, but American history: loyalty to the crown and King George III over loyalty to his father, and his passionate support of the revolutionary cause. It is the story of one of the most famous family break-ups in history, and this decision caused the Provincial Congress of New Jersey to order his arrest on June 19, 1776 by the Colonial Militia led by Col. Nathaniel Heard. While we see the British as evil today, Franklin was much-loved by the citizens of the colony, but he just could not rebuke his inner feelings of loyalty to a King he deeply respected; the man who instilled him as the governor after years of hard work and service to the Crown. This reenactment that we put on every year takes place over the course of three days in the year of our independence, with Heard’s first visit to the governor’s mansion—we stage the event in Franklin’s actual drawing room—where he got the door slammed in his face, and his return later in the week with an arrest warrant and full militia to drag haughty William out of the house. It is an untold story of the Revolution, except by us, as we have now eclipsed twenty years of arrest plays and reenactments.

The Copperhead Chronicles: What is the Price of Dissent?

Dissent: often scorned, sometimes praised, always misunderstood. The American Civil War is sometimes called the Second American Revolution or the Second War of Independence, yet the American Revolution is never referred to as our country’s first Civil War. And why not? One could argue that the situation is exactly the same, and that is the people wanting to remove themselves from a ruler they deemed as tyrannical. Don’t think Abraham Lincoln was a tyrant? Well, there were plenty of people that didn’t think King George III was either.

FNYTSF: My First Taste of Teaching; and Finding Time to Write on this Blog

This past week, I spent every day substitute teaching at the school where I taught the Civil War class, and coach hockey at (the next league starts in a little more than a month, which guarantees more funny stories being posted here). My first day ever at this new job actually occurred in the week prior, when I was called in on a Wednesday morning. Because of this, I have not really had much time to write here on my blog, because of the change in my schedule that leaves me drained of energy when I get home, until my body can completely adjust to the new routine. Substituting did have its positives, though, as I now got my first taste of what being a full-time teacher is really like. Before this, all I had done was teach one class here and there, or, when I went into the local high school to do some field work for college, it was mainly just sitting and observing, save for the occasional lesson I was allowed to teach. But here it was, five days of classes and dealing with many different students (most of which I had coached already), and I must say, it did get better as the days went along, though there were a few bumps in the road, as every substitute must face.

Hidden Treasures: WWII Uniforms Found in the Back of an Old Closet

As we are currently in the process of re-renovating the historic house I work at in Perth Amboy, we decided to clean out one of the closets last week, and hanging in the back, completely out of sight, were two World War II uniforms, each one on a wooden hanger inscribed, “October 31, 1942″. Because I will be teaching a weekly class on this war starting in a few weeks, I wanted to learn more, so I took some pictures and posted them on Facebook, with an open request asking for any information, and hoping one of my history buddies would be able to tell me something. Within a few hours, I received some comments, until a friend sent me more information than I thought I would ever be able to find out about two simple uniforms.

A Conversation with Governor William Franklin…from Beyond the Grave?

All paranormal researchers have their way of doing things; some are conventional, others are not. The way I use was stumbled upon by accident last year, when we sat in the tea room of the Proprietary House with a lit candle. Whenever we asked questions or asked any spirits present to give us a sign of their existence, the candle would flicker, sometimes to the point of pulsating uncontrollably, making us think that someone (or something) was trying to blow it out. We have developed a simple code, which we announce to any ghosts that are with us. If the answer to a question is yes, make the flame move, if no, then do not do anything. We wait no more than ten seconds for a response, before moving on to another question.

Time and time again, we have tried to figure out if there is any draft in the room or any air current whatsoever that could cause this flame to move on its own. After months now, we have concluded that there is nothing that could interfere with it. Sometimes, we will hold sessions and absolutely nothing will happen. It also does not matter how many people are in the room—it has worked with amounts of people ranging from one to six. We have even tried to cause the flames to move ourselves, from our seats, which is a table located about 10-15 feet away, by blowing and waving our hands, and still, the flame will not flicker.

And so last night was another one of these occasions. I was all alone with my friend Dan Breen, who has been with us quite a few times there. We sat in total darkness in the tea room, except for the candle. We asked simple questions for about twenty minutes, and the flame did not move once. Finally we hit pay dirt. Below is the transcript of what happened:

DB: Are you a woman?

Candle: [Nothing]

DB: Are you a man?

Candle: [Flicker]

GC: Are you an old man?

Candle: [Tiny Flicker]

GC: Are you a young man?

Candle: [Nothing]

GC: Are you a middle-aged man?

Candle: [Flicker]

GC: Are you married?

Candle: [Flicker]

GC: Do you have any children?

Candle: [Flicker]

GC: Do you have three children?

Candle: [Nothing]

GC: Do you have two children?

Candle: [Nothing]

GC: You you have one child?

Candle: [Flicker]

GC: What is your name? Is it Ben?

Candle: [Nothing]

GC: Is it Byron?

Candle: [Nothing]

GC: Is it Andrew?

Candle: [Nothing]

The three names we asked about are names of spirits we know are in the house, based on psychics who have communicated with them. Because this spirit was not one of them, I decided to just throw the name out there of our humble former Royal Governor William Franklin, who lived in the house from 1774-1776, before he was arrested.

GC: Is your name William?

Candle: [Flicker]

GC: Are you William Franklin?

Candle: [Flicker]

GC: Are you the governor?

Candle: [Flicker]

GC: Is your wife’s name Josephine?

Candle: [Nothing]

GC: Is your wife’s name Elizabeth?

Candle: [Pulsating Flicker]

By asking a trick question, this rules out other entities in the room who may be trying to pass for another ghost. This is why objects such as Ouija boards are so dangerous, because you think you may be talking to your dead grandfather, when you are really communicating with an evil spirit.

GC: Is your son’s name William Temple?

Candle: [Flicker]

GC: Are you angry with us?

Candle: [Pulsating Flicker]

GC: Do you want us to leave?

Candle: [Nothing]

GC: So you want us to stay?

Candle: [Flicker]

At first, we were scared when it responded to us asking if he was angry with us. The one thing you do not want on a paranormal investigation is an angry spirit, but then it also responded to us asking if he wanted us to stay. The only reason for this is that maybe he had a message to give us. We tried to figure out what the message was, and I recorded some audio later on, but unless an EVP shows on the tape, we were unable to decipher what he was telling us, through only Yes and No answers.

GC: Do you have a message for us?

Candle: [Pulsating Flicker]

GC: I am going to turn on my recorder. If you have a message, please say it now.

[Waits two minutes]

GC: Are you angry with the Americans for arresting you?

Candle: [Flicker]

GC: Do you love King George III?

Candle: [Pulsating Flicker]

GC: Are you sitting at the table where the candle is?

Candle: [Pulsating Flicker]

After we asked that last question, the flame continued to violently flicker, and would not calm down enough to ask more questions. We definitely felt something in the room with us, and while skeptics will regard this evidence as inconclusive, to be there was to witness something very strange. There was no delay between our questions and the responses. This only lasted a few minutes, but it is possible that we were communicating with the house’s lone celebrity, William Franklin. Of course we cannot be absolutely sure, that what we saw was not just coincidence, but if you have done this form of questioning enough times like I have, you just know deep down when it is real, and when a spirit is just making the flame flicker to cause a stir.

Please visit the new and improved official website for the Proprietary House for the complete history of the house.

Shout-Out from Kurt Epps on “The Pub Scout”

Yesterday afternoon, I had the pleasure of meeting with Kurt Epps, who you all met here, at the Proprietary House in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. The award-winning writer, speaker, and historian was having a documentary filmed on him by a pair of students from Montclair State University, who were delving into the work Kurt does at the house, most importantly with his character, Royal Governor William Franklin. When the self-proclaimed “legend in his own mind” asked me to come along, I could not say no, and answered some questions that the two filmmakers had as well as sitting in on their interview.

There was also a gift I had been waiting to give Kurt since we both attended a dinner in November, and that is a Coors Lite bottle shaped like a Louisville Slugger baseball bat (pictured above). The Governor accepted it, and admitted he had never seen anything like it before, even though he had some choice words to say about Coors, a beer he would not be seen drinking even if there was a loaded gun to his head.

Being a blogger himself, Kurt was kind enough to give me a shout-out on his website, aptly named The Pub Scout. Below is an excerpt of what he wrote last night:

Admittedly, I’m no devotee of Coors Beer, and I confess I rarely follow professional baseball these days, but thanks to a friend named Greg Caggiano, I became an owner of some pretty neat memorabilia today. It’s that bottle in the shape of a Louisville Slugger in the pictures to the right of this blog. I was impressed by the detail of the wood-grain look, and even the number 18 on the bottle cap. In my youth, I recall that all the Louisville Sluggers I ever got my hands on had the bat size stamped on the bottom. This bottle bat has the number of ounces in the bottle in that hallowed spot.

Of course, back in the day, all bats were made out of wood and cost about $6. Today, they’re made of space age metal, can rocket a ball at you faster than a bullet from a .357 Magnum and cost as much as a ticket to a Yankee game.

I don’t know how much a collectors’ item like this is worth, nor do I care. There was no beer in the bottle (which may have actually increased its value to me). Still, it’s neat to have. Maybe the Mets should come up with something like this to keep their fans happy…

It was a great afternoon hanging out with Governor Franklin, as well as the film crew of Rob Dickerson and Matt Fabiano. They shot about fifteen minutes worth of an interview, but I managed to film a few minutes of it myself, with a sort of behind-the-scenes look. Enjoy this story Kurt tells about the house and how he first got involved with acting there:

The next time Kurt will be at the Proprietary House is June 12, when we reenact the arrest of William Franklin. All are invited to attend this free and lively event, where we get to see him in full form. Just don’t acknowledge the picture of George Washington hanging in the foyer, for it is highly insulting to his excellency.

Upcoming Lecture: New Jersey’s Role in the American Revolution

Just wanted to give a last call to all those who may be interested in attending the lecture Jeff Huber and I are giving this Thursday. There are still a few spots open, so if you are interested, please see the information below to register, either online by clicking here, or by phone (number below). Registration will close on the morning of the 27th, and I am not sure what the policy is for walk-ins. Keep in mind this is being given in one of the rooms of the Spy House, so seating is limited. It should be a very fun evening so don’t miss out! Anyone ages 13 and up are welcome, and we encourage audience interaction!

Lecture Information

History Alive: New Jersey During the American Revolution

Why was the Battle of Monmouth one of the most important battles of the American Revolution? Why was Benjamin Franklin’s son, William arrested? What weapons and tactics did the troops use? Presenters from the historic Proprietary House will answer these questions and much more. The presentation will feature instructors dressed in period battle uniforms complete with weapons. Find out why New Jersey was such an important part of the Revolution. Don’t just Google it! Come see for yourself.

One 1-Hr Session $5.00 Per Person
Bayshore Waterfront Park Activity Center
Thu, Jan 27 6:00-7:00 PM………………………………XBW11A

Please call 732-842-4000 (EXT  1) to reserve your spot!

Spy House Journal Part IV: A Face in the Window and an Upcoming Lecture

Though no one is allowed inside the Spy House (now Bayshore Waterfront Park) for anything paranormal, Jeff Huber and I will be giving a lecture on New Jersey’s Role in the American Revolution there, this coming Thursday, January 27 at 6 pm. I am still waiting to hear from my superiors on just what exactly we are allowed to talk about regarding the house’s history, but my boss assures me that we are allowed to answer any questions guests pose. This may be your chance to get inside one of the most alluring houses in the state. Bruce Tango (Dave’s father) , the paranormal investigator who has appeared numerous times on Ghost Hunters will be there as well, and he volunteered to answer any ghost-related questions—we are just not sure if we can fit it in the allotted time and if it will be allowed.

Anyway, back in May, Jeff had taken a picture of one of the windows in the Spy House (I think the one below is in the front) and I had noticed a face staring at me from the glass. Though I was certain at what I saw, I wanted to go a few months without looking at it to see if it was just my mind playing tricks on me, or if it was really there. So two nights ago, I brought the picture up and my eyes were drawn to it again. It is diagrammed below:

To me, at least, I see a clearly defined face with eyes, lips, a hairline, and a hint of a nose and chin. I have shown this to a lot of people and it seems that half see it, and the other half does not. I have sent the photo to Bruce Tango so hopefully he will be able to give me an explanation. It could be pixels or just the way the light was hitting the window, but whatever it is, there is definitely a face there, the only issue is whether it is other-worldly or not. If anyone has any kind of software that can enhance it further and clarify it, please feel free to try it out and send it back to me, so we can either prove or disprove if this is a face. I really hope I will be able to show this at the lecture, but it is not my decision to make.

—–

Lecture Information

History Alive: New Jersey During the American Revolution

Why was the Battle of Monmouth one of the most important battles of the American Revolution? Why was Benjamin Franklin’s son, William arrested? What weapons and tactics did the troops use? Presenters from the historic Proprietary House will answer these questions and much more. The presentation will feature instructors dressed in period battle uniforms complete with weapons. Find out why New Jersey was such an important part of the Revolution. Don’t just Google it! Come see for yourself.

One 1-Hr Session $5.00 Per Person
Bayshore Waterfront Park Activity Center
Thu, Jan 27 6:00-7:00 PM………………………………XBW11A

Please call 732-842-4000 (EXT  1) to reserve your spot!