The Haunted Morris-Jumel Mansion
Posted: 10.08.2024 | Updated: 10.08.2024
New York, New York, the big city of dreams…and of ghosts.
From cuisine to Wall Street to Times Square, Manhattan is the world’s most famous borough in the world’s most renowned city. Everywhere you turn, you’ll find a lot of history and a lot of weirdness. And nowhere is that more prevalent than in the Morris-Jumel Mansion, a historic house still standing today that houses some unusual residents.
Why is the Morris-Jumel Mansion haunted?
From presidents to Broadway icons to Alexander Hamilton’s arch-nemesis, the list of people who have called the Morris-Jumel Mansion home comes across as a “who’s who” list of historical figures. In its heyday, it boasted state-of-the-art amenities and a beautiful contemporary style.
However, these days, it looks far less luxurious. Although a cherished landmark of the Big Apple, it has unfortunately fallen into disrepair. No longer are the residents of the building bigwig politicians and wealthy elites.
Well, save for one…
Read on to learn more about who currently calls the Morris-Jumel House home, and don’t forget to book a ghost tour with NYC Ghosts to explore all that haunted New York has to offer!
The Morris-Jumel Mansion History
In many ways, the history of the Morris-Jumel Mansion is the history of America. It was purchased during the colonial period by the Morris family. The original property spanned the area of fifty city blocks and housed not just the Morris family but all of their servants and enslaved people as well.
The Morrises were Loyalists- colonial citizens loyal to the Crown with no desire to declare their independence. This did not make them popular residents, especially during the American Revolution. Appropriately, it was used as headquarters by the British army during the Revolutionary War. Still, amusingly enough, it was also used by future President George Washington as his headquarters later during the war.
Perhaps this indignity, coupled with the fact that the Loyalist cause lost during the Revolution, prompted the Morris family to sell the property to a new group of owners, the Earle family, who turned it into a successful hotel and bar.
The house was a tavern until 1810 when the Jumel family purchased it. The Jumels were a high-class family and wasted no time bringing the house up to their standards. They made many expensive renovations and turned the home into a mansion. The Jumels were no longer content to lease the property, so they used it as their private residence.
By all accounts, it was quite the place, and its ostentatiousness caught the eye of a very famous individual.
Enter Aaron Burr
It was Aaron Burr, a founding father and a fierce rival of Alexander Hamilton. He became obsessed with the Morris-Jumel Mansion. More specifically, he became obsessed with one of the Jumels who lived there.
Eliza Jumel, the socialite of the Jumel family, was the one he fell in love with. She seemed to return his affections and married him just 14 months after her first husband, Stephen, died. Stephen was killed in a mysterious accident where he was stabbed by a pitchfork. Rumors abounded that Eliza was having an affair with Burr while married to Stephen. There were other, more sinister, rumors that Eliza planned the accident and even undid Stephen’s bandages at night to hasten his demise.
However, Burr’s new marriage was not a happy one. He had refined tastes but less-than-fine money management skills. Jumel was the wealthy one between them, and he burned through her money like hotcakes. This led to her eventually divorcing him. Amusingly enough, she used Alexander Hamilton Jr. as her divorce lawyer, the son of Burr’s rival. Of course, Burr had already killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel, so this was a fine bit of revenge for young Hamilton too.
The Hauntings of the Morris-Jumel Mansion
As you can ascertain from the above, the Morris-Jumel Mansion has seen a lot of history and a lot of tragedy in its many years. Such houses tend to lend themselves to being the sites of hauntings, and this one is no exception.
Many of the rumored hauntings come from Aaron Burr’s former bedroom. Having died shortly after his divorce from Jumel, the old founding father may be trying to get another shot with his lost love. Or maybe he’s just after the money he couldn’t get his hands on while alive. Either way, many have reported hearing disembodied voices and creaking footsteps from that room, with the sounds occurring after hours.
Unlike many sightings, the Morris-Jumel Mansion has some evidence to support its paranormal claims. A paranormal investigator who has investigated the mansion has a video clip of a strange disembodied voice. Mansion staff are split on what the voice is saying. Some claim to hear it saying “I love you,” while others think it’s “they’re laughing at you.”
If there is a likely culprit for the voices, it’d be Eliza Jumel. Most people who come away from a ghostly encounter at the mansion describe someone matching Eliza’s description. She is typically dressed in a white, 18th-century dress and is quite the chatty spirit- once yelling at visiting schoolchildren to shut up! Some also claim that her presence causes other ghosts to fight over her, namely her two former husbands.
The museum staff maintains a record of all these mysterious encounters, known as the Book of Haunts.
“Time” For A Haunting
People have reported another strange experience from the mansion that doesn’t involve a ghost. Instead, it’s a seemingly regular-looking clock inside the dining room. Regular looking, save for the moon decoration that covers the clock’s face. The clock is known to be a bit of a flirt, and the moon will wink at handsome men when they pass by. But don’t worry if it doesn’t wink at you – it doesn’t always feel flirty.
Haunted New York
For a mansion so steeped in history, is it any wonder that there are so many ghostly sightings? This tale is just one of the many haunting mysteries that await you in the Big Apple. Book your spot on a ghost tour with NYC Ghosts to learn even more. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real New York City hauntings.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/27/nyregion/morris-jumel-mansion-renovation-repair.html
https://www.businessinsider.com/haunted-places-historic-homes-to-visit-ghost-tour-2023-9
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