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Calling For Noah

 

This is my first post here, so please be kind! I've had many what I would describe as paranormal experiences throughout my life. My earliest memories are of my 5 or 6 year-old self late at night, snuggled in bed. I'm not sure I'd classify this as a "ghost story" but I feel like I should start sharing from the beginning.

My parents leased a working farm & acres of wheat-fields from my paternal grandparents. This was in rural Oregon, and the three of us lived in an old ranch style home quite literally in the middle of nowhere, with our closest neighbor nearly a mile away, and maybe a half mile away from the highway. It was pretty isolated.

One night, right outside of my bedroom window, I heard what sounded like a human voice saying, "No-ahhh... Noah..." as if a mother was calling her son, Noah. Being young, I didn't think much of it, and hopped out of bed to investigate. I looked out to the back yard, and saw nothing, and alas - the voice had stopped. I was just falling back to sleep when I heard the same, "Noah, Noahhh...". My parents' bedroom was just on the other side of the wall from mine, so I peeped in their room to see if the noise was coming from there... Total silence as they were sound asleep.

Though this was over thirty years ago - especially given my age at the time, but I remember that voice like it was yesterday. The Noah callings began to happen more frequently, from what I recall it seemed like weeks on end... And always after my parents had fallen asleep. It got to the point where I'd expect it & just lay there, petrified. Once I recall asking my mom who Noah was and why someone would be yelling for him at night, and she told me that deer sometimes make noises that sound like people. I'm not sure about you, but I've never heard a deer sound quite like that.

I don't recall any other strange experiences in that house, other than I had a lot of imaginary friends... Being an only child out in the sticks, I'm sure my folks shrugged it off as normal. Looking back as an adult & having my own experiences pile up, I'm certain there was something there. A few things to consider: We did not live far from the path of the Oregon Trail, and on our property was also an old two-story bunkhouse. It had long been abandon, but some furniture & drapery remained... I remember going in there a time or two with my mom & the place was just plain creepy. Our property wasn't anywhere near posh, but there was also a large in-ground swimming pool that was quite a ways away from the house & bunkhouse... Never filled, never maintained, which I still find odd to this day. I mention this as the voice calling for Noah may have been a residual haunting of sorts.

Sadly, when my grandfather passed in the late 80's, a family feud resulted in us having to relocate & essentially start a new life. My mom & dad purchased a business and we moved into a new house in town. That time being a painful memory for my parents, I hesitate to ask questions about the property, the bunkhouse... And I wonder what they would say about the Noah experiences today.

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The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, Cups, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
 
6 years ago (2018-08-06)
Hi Augusta! That is so cool - I love it! Thank you for the info... Really makes me wish I'd paid more attention in history class... I hated it at the time, but now I find stuff like that fascinating. Keep me posted if you do find the archives in the paper! I'm intrigued! 😆
AugustaM (7 stories) (996 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-05)
Oh how I love digging through historic records! And in spite of the fires that raged during the Civil War destroying so much of Virginia's historic documents, much still exists. It is a bit difficult to nail down via Internet resources but at the time the land was bought (1917-1920) by the government to construct the planned community (Hilton Village) that would become my neighborhood. The land was owned by John Pembroke Jones. The name "Hilton" was taken from the name of his farmhouse. Before that, the land was owned by one of the area's larger plantations and had been farmed thus since 1619. It was possibly part of Daniel Gookin's tract. As such the most likely crops to have been grown there would have been tobacco, wheat and corn in that order with the possible later addition of cotton. Before white settlers, it was Kecoughtan tribal territory and I have yet to find any archaeological reports covering their specific settlement patterns but as the area is located on a bluff right on the riverbank, it would've made an ideal location for a settlement for Native Americans as well.

So 1918 (when the neighborhood was officially opened) would have been the first time the area was residential since the 17thC and possibly longer. As the voice was speaking English and crying for "Daddy" - I can only assume it's origin to have been post 1920. The next step would be to dig into the archives of the local paper (the Daily Press) to see if anything involving the death of a child was reported during that time or a father gone missing in a war etc...
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-04)
Aw, thanks, Jubeele! So wise. I will update more if I find anything out. Like I said, I hate loose ends & want closure on this one even though it's not really a big deal in the scheme of things... Sigh!
Jubeele (26 stories) (899 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-04)
Thanks for the update, Cups. You might be right about the woman calling for Noah. If the truth needs to be told, I've found that things have a way of revealing themselves. Keeping my fingers crossed that your friend will get that vital clue for you.

Old wounds can scab over in family feuds. People can mellow over time. Don't give up hope. 😘
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-03)
Manafon - thanks for circling back. I agree on the age thing, kids are able to soak things up like sponges... Just like the notion that ghosts are all hocus-pocus make-believe as they get older. Math is as mysterious to me as disembodied voices, so I can relate, ha!

That is interesting to think about... If I had addressed the voice, rather than hiding under the blankets, what would have happened? I think I probably would have become a bed-wetter finding out!
😘
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-03)
AugustaM, oh my goodness, that's sad. It would have been incredible to keep a plantation in your family. People do the dumbest things, don't they? 😢 I will check out your story!

Interesting about the similar voice you heard. It's pretty unnerving on its own, plus always during a storm? Nope! I'm sure that land has a very rich history prior to being developed... It would be fun to dig up records, if any are still around, about the agriculture grown there.
CuriousDee (8 stories) (631 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-02)
Cups,

Well that stinks that your parents aren't open to discussing any experiences. 😜 I'd definitely be interested in any information you find from records.

Keep us updated on your findings 😊

Dee
AugustaM (7 stories) (996 posts)
+2
6 years ago (2018-08-02)
Hi Cups! Like Dee I was drawn to this account by the recent comments. What a fascinating place to have grown up and I am sorry your family lost it and experienced so much fragmentation due to pettiness... I can relate.

My great grandfather left the last of the surviving family plantations to his 3 daughters - a well meaning folly that lead to its being shamefully demolished in a shady last-minute deal by one of my distant cousins in the early 1990s. It is the home I dreamt of in my account "Coming to Say Goodbye".

I also experienced something similar to the calls you heard as a child (I am sure I have commented on it in reference to other accounts but I'll be hogtied if I can find it - my apologies for those in the know for the repetition). I wasn't so young, I guess as it was in the house that my mother and I moved into after my parents divorced when I was eleven and it happened over a number of years. Every time there was a bad storm, I would hear the voice of a young boy calling desperately for his parents. The voice was so plaintive and frightened that many times I was tempted to run into the storm and search for him but I was prevented by my mother who insisted she heard nothing of the kind. The neighborhood we lived in was an old one constructed in the 1920s on land that had been previously agricultural since the 1700s.
Manafon1 (7 stories) (722 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-02)
Hi Cups - Thanks for the update. It's interesting that your parents never heard the voice themselves. I was able to ask my parents many years ago if they ever heard the voices I mentioned in my earlier comment and like you the answer was also "no". This probably had much to do with our young ages at the time. Children are commonly just more "open" and receptive to the paranormal. They have no elaborate reference points that would alert an adult that something out of the realm of the "normal" was happening. As a kid, I often thought that the unusual paranormal things that I experienced would one day make sense to me when I grew up. Like learning to read or understanding math. Still don't understand math though;)

It seems like the new information you were able to get from your parents reinforces the idea that what you were hearing was residual. It's always important to keep in mind though that when it comes to the paranormal, nothing is cut and dry. As I have discussed on this site in the past, there is evidence to suggest that what are often referred to as "residual" apparitions, will often show some awareness if directly addressed. Who knows if the voice you heard calling for Noah might have changed its intensity if you called back to it. Maybe it would have added, "Is that you Noah."
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-02)
Dee, I'm sorry, I also didn't answer your question about writing or markings... Nope, wood has been worn clean. It had been there for years and now it's been on my fence for around 25 years or more. But who knows, it could have been an animal burial or even an ornament of sorts that had been cast aside just right! That's what I want to know. 😕
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
 
6 years ago (2018-08-02)
*best react to it...

Sigh, even previewing doesn't stop cucumber fingers! 😐
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-01)
Dee, that's kind of my thought also! I couldn't believe the cross Dad found was an afterthought... I still can't. They are on the fence with the paranormal. When I brought it up, I did so playfully as I know that's how they'd beat react to it. Mom said something like "well yes, you've always been into superstitious stuff like that..." but I remember my dad telling me a story about how he saw his grandmother's apperitition after he bought the house she used to own & described it as "spooky". So...dunno. I think they try to shut things of that nature out.

Again, thanks for reading & the commentary! I really want to delve into public records & find out more... I hate loose ends. 🤔
CuriousDee (8 stories) (631 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-01)
Cups,

Thank you for the clarification. It sounds as if your parents are hesitant to discuss that time frame, which is understandable. It does make me wonder if they had experienced something and do not wish to be forthcoming about it. Just a thought. I don't know if your parents are open to the supernatural/paranormal.

I do hope that the woman calling for Noah is at peace now. ❤

Dee
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-01)
Aw, CuriousDee! Thanks for reading. To my understanding, he didn't disturb anything or find anything else. Apparently the marker was out between the main house & bunk house someplace; they were maybe 1/4 mile apart (could've been closer, I was little). Oddly enough, the marker didn't come up in conversation right away, even after I asked if they'd experienced anything there... It was a bit later that mom was like, "oh, well, your dad did find that burial site..." and I went, HUH?! 🙄

I'm glad I got a bit of validation also! Good grief!
CuriousDee (8 stories) (631 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-01)
Cups,

I was drawn to your story from your latest comment. It's very intriguing! I'm leaning towards the voice calling for Noah being residual too. The updated information, especially the burial site and marker, makes me wonder who was buried there and if it's related.

Did your father find anything besides the marker at the site (bones, clothing remnants, etc.)? Or did he not disturb the area? Also, was there any writing or markings on the cross?

I'm glad you received validation from your family regarding the voice and deer not being the cause. 😜

❤ Dee
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-01)
Jubeele, Manafon, Melda, Emmaline - I recently visited my folks & had a couple drinks on the patio with them. I casually swayed the conversation to the paranormal, and asked if they remembered my "Noah" experience when I was little... "well of course! We told you it was deer so you wouldn't be afraid..." (thanks, I've been doubting my sanity for 30 years 😐). They never heard it, but recalled my inquiries about the voice. So I asked about the history of the place... Turns out, the house was much older than I thought. They believe it was built in the early 1900s, and had been added onto a number of times. The bunk house, around the same time, maybe earlier. My dad apparently found a burial site on the property (!), marked with a very worn wooden French cross. He picked it up (!) and gave it to my grandmother during her "religious phase"...she nailed it to the fence post at my now-house... I'd always wondered where that came from. 😳

I asked about the previous owners & didn't get much information aside from last names. Then, in talking to a friend who does volunteer work for the area cemeteries, she said she'd felt like maybe seen a marker with the name Noah on a child's grave. She'll keep an eye out.

Now I feel there are more questions than before... Whatcha think?
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-11-08)
Well friends, I messaged my youngest cousin tonight and asked if he or his folks ever had any strange experiences at the house or property - nope. And apparently the old bunkhouse has long been torn down, he didn't even know it had existed. 😢 I'm kind of disappointed and saddened that the bunkhouse doesn't stand any longer... I feel like the whole property has been wiped clean of our existence there.

Thank you again for the comments & interest! I feel that this "case" is deemed open-ended, so onto the next! Be well. ❤
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
 
7 years ago (2017-11-07)
Well, thank you! I do think I needed to talk about it some... Family affairs can indeed get pretty messy. I'm so sorry to hear yours are scattered... I hope the miracle (or curse!) of social media & the interwebs can help you gather your family once again.:)

I am definitely interested in asking my cousin if he heard the woman growing up. He's several years younger than I am, so would have been about the same age when they moved into that house prior to leveling it. Now comes the challenge of bringing it up so I don't sound like a loon! 😁
Jubeele (26 stories) (899 posts)
 
7 years ago (2017-11-07)
Oh Cups, what a sad tangle of affairs. Don't worry about "rambling" - you obviously needed to talk about it. Family disputes are so complicated. All too often, people get torn in all directions like pull-apart bread.

When my paternal Grandma passed away over 36 years ago, the feud at the time was over money matters too. Then after Dad went, Mum had a dispute with his side of the family over something else. Both sides of the family are now scattered all over the world, but I hope to get in touch with more of them next year.

But I'm pleased that you've made contact with your cousins and taken the first steps to building new (and improved) family ties. That is so good to hear. Some traits run in families though. Don't be surprised if you've got certain things in common!

I wonder if that woman still calls for Noah outside the new house... Do keep us updated. 😊
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-11-07)
Thank you for reading, Jubeele! I distinctly remember the voice to sound female, probably a younger woman, in her 20's or 30's if I had to guess. I've always "felt" that it was a woman looking for her son.

Family feuds are the worst! I'm sorry to hear you've been through one as well. Mine happened in 1987 or '88 when my grandfather passed; my dad is the youngest of 3 kids. I would find out years later that the family estate was worth a very large chunk of money. My dad's two older siblings (a brother & a sister) are/were of the not very nice sort - my dad's mother, a million times worse. How my dad ended up a solid, sane person with a mother like his, I'll never know. My grandmother drank vodka all day long, and once scolded my mom for holding me "too much" when I was an infant... She told her to just keep me in a playpen with a bottle (that's what she did to my dad & his siblings). My aunt got pregnant in high school - my grandmother deemed her a nymphomaniac, had her sterilized after giving birth to my cousin and had her get shock treatments... You know, totally logical stuff here. 🙄

At any rate, dad & my grandfather were very close - he was the favorite, hence the reason they farmed together, and why we leased the property. This didn't sit well with my aunt & uncle, who teamed up with "grandmother" to write my dad out of the will. They also forced us off our property. Dad hired an attorney to fight it, but my mom didn't want any part of a financial fight... She said it wasn't worth the pain. They took what money they had and bought a house & business in town. We had a fresh start. Of course I thought this was the coolest thing ever, not knowing what was really going on.

My uncle married a Native American woman in the 80's and they adopted a baby from Iran...I'll call him David. They lied to everyone & said the baby was also Native American... To this day, I don't know if David even knows he's actually Persian. They ended up moving into our old house on the ranch and selling all the surrounding farmland. They tore down the house (and the bunkhouse) and put in a manufactured home. 😢

I apologize for rambling here... I know you didn't ask for the details, haha! I'm only sharing because just in the past six months, I have reconnected with my estranged cousins through social media. My uncle had a daughter from a previous marriage - David put me in touch with her, and through her I was able to find my aunt's daughter. It has been absolutely amazing catching up with them & trying to piece together all the nonsense that happened back then. After posting this story, my curiosity in the property & history is definitely piqued! I am also curious to find out if they had any experiences akin to mine... I will update if I find out!

(again, sorry for all the rambling!)
Jubeele (26 stories) (899 posts)
 
7 years ago (2017-11-06)
Hi Cups, I enjoyed reading your account. You paint such a sad, haunting picture. Do you remember if the the voice sounded male or female? Was it like a mother searching for a child or another child calling for a playmate?

When my Grandma passed, there was a bitter family feud too. The last I saw of them was at Dad's funeral over 13 years ago. But I do hope that someday you can be in contact with your relatives again and perhaps find out more about Noah and the family property.

Thanks for sharing your account. 😊
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
 
7 years ago (2017-11-06)
Hi, Melda & EmmalineTexas! Thank you both for reading & for the kind words. I have no idea if my parents ever experienced anything there... I will try to bring it up at Thanksgiving and see what I can get out of them - hopefully I'll have something to add to the story in the coming weeks! 😊 Now I need to concoct an ice-breaker so I can bring it up tactfully!
EmmalineTexas (10 stories) (163 posts)
 
7 years ago (2017-11-06)
Cups - Thanks for posting your story. It sounds like you're very tuned in when it comes to residual hauntings. I'm curious; did you parents ever hear anything? Usually, if your property has residual energy or spirits that come through there are odd little things that people notice. Like furniture moving, or shadows that you see in your peripheral vision. Even sounds like whistling or hearing someone call for you that sounds like a family member. It would be really interesting to find out the history of that property. Because it was near to the Oregon Trail, it could be almost a path of people who left fragments or imprints on the land. It could also be an active haunting because of the bunkhouse. Wow, great story. I really look forward to reading more of your experiences.
Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
 
7 years ago (2017-11-04)
Cups - Very interesting! I too believe that this was a residual haunting. It sends the imagination in all sorts of directions. Who were they, what did they look like, what were their jobs on the farm, were they the owners or just employed workers? I love it 😊

Regards, Melda
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
 
7 years ago (2017-11-03)
Thank you for the kind words, Manafon! Ugh, hearing a couple arguing every night doesn't sound pleasant... I will check out your story - I'm intrigued now.

I have thought of this voice over the years & could never find an explanation for it. I'm now 36 years old, and we have deer (among many other animals) in the yard & surrounding areas year-round... Never have I heard anything close to the "Noah" bit.
Manafon1 (7 stories) (722 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-11-03)
Hi Cups - I enjoyed reading your account. When I was the same age as you were in your account, I heard a man and woman arguing every night for several months. The voices were clear but oddly muted. I detail this in an account I submitted on YGS some time ago. It does seem likely that your young mind, being more open and receptive to the paranormal, was indeed picking up on a residual type of voice calling out for "Noah".

I can understand how hearing this voice nightly would freak you out. For whatever reason the voices I heard never scared me. In the end it seems you were just receptive to hearing a voice imprinted in close proximity of your house. Thanks for sharing!

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