Soul Cakes

A soul cake is a small round cake, resembling a shortbread biscuit, with candied fruits and sweet spices, which was traditionally made for Halloween, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day to commemorate the dead. There is typically a cross pattern on top. I am guessing this might be similar to “hot cross buns”, which I *have* heard of, but they are served on Easter. I had never heard of these spooky little Soul Cakes before (or if I had, I had forgotten about them.) I learned about this delightful treat, other Victorian mourning traditions, and a little bit about the Reeves family during the ghost tour of their home in Dover, Ohio.

Jeremiah Reeves was an English and Welsh steel worker who moved into this gorgeous home in 1901 with his wife Jane. Born in 1845 and 1947, the couple is buried locally in Maplegrove cemetery, after four children, and a long and prosperous life. There were three daughters: Louise, Agnes, and Lillian. Agnes is the glamorous blonde pictured in the gallery below. The son of the Reeves family, Samuel died in his early thirties. His widow, Belle and their three children lived at the duly beautiful home right across the street.

Our tour of the Reeves House began in the carriage house, which was adorned with lanterns and candles. The staff was kind enough to serve tea and hot chocolate to guests coming in for tours. Tours ran every half hour from 7 to 10, but the museum still felt very quiet and peaceful. I wasn’t too sure at first- there was a large group of high school kids slurping hot chocolate and loudly talking in the carriage house after finishing their tour, but the tone changed after their departure and then the ambiance became more favorable for a ghost tour. We started upstairs in the Carriage House, observing an impressive monologue by one of the docents, depicting Ichabod Crane with his rendition of “Sleepy Hollow”. The carriage house houses some interesting artifacts including old fashioned carriages (duh), sleighs, an impressive old-timey post-office display, and …….a Civil War soldier’s head. You read that right. I didn’t see it, but I’ll be on the look-out when I go back. The carriage house is known for paranormal activity like a ghostly cat with an ethereal meow; the sound of someone whistling a merry tune; and plenty of banging and other things that go bump in the night.

When our tour group of about 18 walked over to the house, we were introduced to a somber and quiet home with soft lighting throughout. It felt very peaceful inside. We learned of various Victorian funeral rituals. Clocks must be stopped at death. When transporting the dead, the feet must come out of the house first. All mirrors must be covered. And we also learned that Halloween was once more of a romantic holiday, right on par with Valentine’s Day. A Victorian tradition was a “dumb supper” where the tables are set all willy-nilly and everything is served a bit backwards. When funerals were held, flowers were used, not as a gift to the mourning family, rather to be placed around the casket to mask the terrible smell of the decaying body. The body was watched over every minute until burial, hence the custom of “waking”. The wake also served as a safeguard from burying someone who was not dead, but in a coma.

We also learned during our tour of some marriage traditions and rituals. All three of the Reeves girls would have practiced said rituals. If it rained or if you saw a spider on your wedding dress it was considered good luck. Jewels played a big part of weddings; sapphire and aquamarine are considered good luck. But the most lucky gems have been diamonds, ever since they gained popularity in the 15th century in Venice. Before marriage, if you walked backwards and looked into a mirror you would see your future husband. If a younger sister got married before you, then you best dance barefoot at her wedding to avoid eternal singlehood. According to our docent, in about the 1950s, these odd rituals ended, because society became more progressive and women were starting to very gradually become less dependent on marriage.

Dolls occupied several spaces throughout the house and they have been known to do odd things at the Reeves museum, like mutter things under their breath or show up in another place from where they were left. I posted a couple of the photos below. There is one particular closet in the corner of the upstairs ballroom where there are a bunch of dolls. A lot of “activity” has been reported in that area.

As if dolls aren’t creepy enough, lots of other unexplained things happen in the mansion. The smell of tobacco smoke in the garden, cigar smoke in Jeremiah Reeves’s study, and the smell of lavender upstairs are all common. Lamps going on or off at unexpected times, a Regina music box playing on its own, soap dishes holding Christmas ornaments jumping off onto the floor, and non-working Grandfather clocks chiming on their own are among the unusual things that occur. Do you know the tune “Shave and a Haircut”? (knock-knock-knock-knock-knock…..followed by knock-knock, which is “two bits”). Well paranormal investigators got that “two bits” response to the sequence they tapped in an otherwise empty house. They also couldn’t get a Christmas chandelier to remain off. They had to bring some holy water and dirt from Wales, or so they say, to get it to function. When modern day museum workers have attempted seances in the dining room, a volunteer heard a voice whisper “you don’t want to walk here”. During an author event for the “Haunted Tuscarawas County” books, a doorknob refused to turn and an old-fashioned tv knob shot across the room. Egg cups fell off the tables in the kitchen. When museum staff members have been typing, they have been poked and felt other touches while working. Jeremiah’s portrait in the front room has been known to give them guidance, and when in doubt they “just ask Jerry” and usually when they do, they get some clarity and guidance.

The number of things that go on here just seem endless. I was taking notes, but having a hard time keeping up with the docent as she named them all. A few more electronic issues that stood out: “Unusual tales from Ohio” was filming in the house and had some unresolved issues with the cameras. At one point a curator was taking photos of books in the library/study area, and she put her phone down, but it took photos on its without her touching it.

Last year before this event there was an Ouija board incident. The staff was getting ready and they went to place the Ouiji board on a table in the upstairs sitting room, but when they attempted to do so all the lights in the house went off. In the master bedroom, the bed is not to be touched, but they often see an impression on bed as though someone is sitting there, and they hear a knocking sound. Upstairs in the ballroom, there was a Victorian game called Snapdragon, which was played with brandy and raisins. I am not sure of the rules exactly, but it has to do with grabbing the raisin before it is set on fire by the flames, ignited by the brandy. There is some sort of spooky story involving that game and a tap on shoulder while playing it. Needless to say, there are all sorts of paranormal stories in the Reeves museum. I plan to come back at Christmastime to see it all decorated in its Yuletide glory and perhaps with a few more stories to report back. Be safe out there, friends. I hope you are all enjoying this harvest season as much as I am.