A historic family at that and one that kept the home in the family until it was turned over to the Orland Historical Society in 1987 with the death of the youngest Humphrey family member, John. That is why this haunted historic home is more special, as some location owners claim to have what they call 'a haunted house family' with out the true knowledge of who the family consists of in the home as there were more then one family that occupied the other homes.
The home was built in 1881 by John Humphrey and was the 2nd house built in Orland Park. I was drawn to the Humphrey House in 2007 and until then it was not know to the public as a haunted location. Walking in to the home I knew it was active, how active, I did not know. I did learn one thing that no one in the paranormal field knew at the time or until I made it public, is that Senator John Humphrey House has a major tie to Bachelor's Grove Cemetery.
The Senator John Humphrey Family consisted of: John Humphrey and first wife Amelia and children: Libby (died within 11 months), Wilt (oldest child and lawyer), Lillian (died as a child), Thomas (died as a child), Clara, Mable (died as a child), and Maude. Amelia (1st wife) died in 1894.
Senator Humphrey then married in the same year the secretary and assistant in his law office, her name was Ida. Senator John Humphrey and Ida had one child, his name is John and he is the one that willed the Senator Humphrey House to the Historical Society.
The house has paranormal activity. I have had three paranormal teams and another Spirit Feeler with one team at the location and they confirmed what I already knew, that spirits are there and active. A couple of other teams have done their own investigations at the location and the paranormal activity held up without any questions about it.
There was one team of three men I was told about by the Historical Society President. The three guys making up the team came running down from the second floor screaming like young teenage girls seeing a mouse. That was kind of the last of the investigation teams being allowed to investigate the home on their own. It has been proven to have activity by investigation teams in the past and the hundreds of experiences by individuals during my Supernatural and Paranormal Nights held during all these years at the location.
The Senator John Humphrey Family consisted of: John Humphrey and first wife Amelia and children: Libby (died within 11 months), Wilt (oldest son and lawyer), Lillian (died as a child), Thomas (died as a child), Clara, Mable (died as a child), and Maude. Amelia (1st wife) died in 1894. Senator Humphrey then married in the same year the secretary and assistant in his law office, her name was Ida. Senator John Humphrey and Ida had one child, his name is John and he is the one that willed the Senator Humphrey House to the Historical Society.
Senator John Humphrey died in 1914, Ida lived until the 1950's and something rare for that time frame was done when she died. John the youngest child had her waked at the home. Being waked in the home was a practice of the past and a few of the Humphrey family members were waked in the house, in the location that I have always held my 'Circle of Energy' Spirit Communication Sessions. Ida being waked in the home in the 1950's was something that was very rare.
But baby John as I call him, do to the fact he was the youngest child, he had a practice of his own that was a bit on the unusual. He owned the coffin he was going to be buried in when he died and kept it at the Humphrey House when he moved back there after his mother's death.
Baby John while alive, found comfort in sleeping in the coffin that one day would be his final resting place. Also as one explores the home, they will come across an old rocking horse in the children's bed room, that was baby John's horse. There is a photo of John on it when he was a child in the book 'The Orland Story'.
I will get in to the Bachelor's Grove in a moment, as I want to say that the house is the one most active 'private residence homes' that I have been in. I been in one that was a farm up in North West IL and a couple others out of state that are open to the public. As I stated earlier, there is no doubts of who the family is providing the activity in the Senator John Humphrey House.
At one time I was holding paranormal nights at the location, this year (2014), I have been holding what I call 'Supernatural Nights, Workshops and Spirit Communications all done on
the same night. In 2014 I have been allowed access to an empty room known as the playroom, a room that was a storage area in the past. This has become the most active room at the location and is the room I now use to help open individuals open up to feeling the emotions of the spirits or those emotions that have remained in the room by the children of the past.
The only access to this playroom it is during my Supernatural Nights there. It will also be the room that on November 1st 2014, a Special Spirit Communication Night (is All Saints Day), will be held in that room.
The Senator John Humphrey family has a couple major ties to the haunted Bachelor's Grove Cemetery and I was happy to be the able to let the Chicago paranormal field know of the connection and at times I wonder if it was a mistake do to the behavior of some individuals.
John Humphrey and first wife Amelia first child 'Libby' died at 11 months old. Mrs. Humphrey's family (Patrick), had a family plot and family buried at Bachelor's Grove Cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey had Libby buried with Mrs. Humphrey's family members at Bachelor's Grove, as the Humphrey family did not own a family plot.
The question even asked by some of the officials of the Historical Society, is Mrs. Amelia Humphrey who was found dead in the house in March of 1898 and buried at a different cemetery then her first child Libby and is buried at Bachelor's Grove Cemetery. Could Mrs. Humphrey be the woman and child seen at Bachelor's Grove?
There is almost no doubt that she is, as I and others have used a specific paranormal tool for communication that has stated the fact that Amelia is the Madonna of Bachelor's Grove Cemetery.
There has been some very bizarre claims made about the 11 month old infant Libby running, talking, following a new adult old male friend to his home from Bachelor's Grove.. Let me say I have been tied to the Senator John Humphrey House since 2007 and with the historical society. I have also been in the eye since the year 2000 doing what I do and even wandering around Bachelor's Grove Cemetery in 1974.
Libby was 11 months old, most likely just learning to walk and hardly talking if at all and all depending on the child's health, considering the young age she died.
It is of no one's belief of those who are part of the Orland Historical Society or any working connection with the Historic Site including my self (Edward Shanahan), that there is any possibility of any spirit (be it from a cemetery or this family home), following any individual(s), to their home so that the spirit be it a child or an adult can have a relationship with the individual. Nor is it recommended to publish such claims about the Senator John Humphrey family.
The next open house for the Senator John Humphrey House is Sunday Oct. 12th, 2014 2pm - 4pm and I will be present to assist the Historical Society and talk about the paranormal history of the location.
Story: Edward Shanahan
Source: ChicagoNow
Further Reading:
Bachelor’s Grove: The Most Haunted Graveyard in North America
