The River Ghost Gang
By Marc Ironwood
Copyright 2013 Marc Joseph Ironwood
License Notes
Never since the battle of 1812 has there been talk like this. Word gets around, especially when the stories are entertaining. This is the story of the ghost-like angels and the encounters that I had with these ghosts. Many people claimed to have seen them long before I did, however after I first met Henry, I seemed to be somewhat mesmerized.
It all began after I traveled on Route 53 south of Port Clinton, Ohio one Sunday evening. There was a town that I will not name that is on that route. Shortly after arriving in this town I crossed a bridge, and out of the corner of my eye I saw a man standing by the river side.
I turned my head to look and this man seemed to be staring at me. There was something about this that I for some reason could not ignore! I drove approximately three blocks down through town, but I could not get rid of the feeling that I must go back there!
I have heard stories about somewhere in the Bible (being entertained by angels) and I believe in God and the Bible, but I have never seen an angel! When I was near this street that went parallel with the river, I turned right and headed down to the rivers edge.
Sure enough there was this figure of a man standing there. I pulled my car into a small parking place that was along side of the street. I stepped out of my car and began to approach this man. I said, “Good evening !”
The man nodded and said, “Good evening !” This was the beginning of this relationship.
This foggy looking figure of a man spoke friendly and kind to me and I felt very comfortable with him. He introduced himself as Henry, but never said anything about himself, like where he lived or worked, nor spoke anything about his family. He looked like a farmer, a thin man wearing overalls. We talked for well over an hour about what most people would consider theological topics. He seed very educated, but didn’t used twenty dollar words as he spoke. He acted like he knew me, but asked questions about me, which I thought was kinda strange.
I asked him if he was fishing, and he smiled and giggled a bit and answered, “ No, I’m just visiting.”
This was getting stranger by the moment, after an hour or so I thought that I had better get going. I turned to walk to the car and waved and said, “Nice meeting you Henry!”
I went to check in at my motel. I was right outside of town, just a little family establishment. I remember Henry saying something about Fairmont Cemetery. For some reason I pulled out the nightstand drawer and reached for the phone book. Directories usually have a map of the city in them. There it was: Fairmont Cemetery. That looked easy enough to get to! I thought I could swing up that way in the morning after breakfast. Little did I know, that the next few days were really going to amaze me !
In the morning I stopped at a little café downtown. I’m not much of a breakfast eater, just give me a cup of coffee and a donut and I’m satisfied ! I asked the waitress where Sandusky Street was and she gave me directions, then asked me where I was from. Then to my surprise asked me, ”Have you seen the river ghost?” I wasn’t surprised about what she asked, just that she did !
“Ah well..yeah, I ah..” I really didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to come across as some crazy lunatic from out of town.
On the way out of the café I passed by a store that sold perfume, and odd things plus postcards. I wanted to check out the post cards. Sure enough there was a postcard of the cemetery with the words printed underneath it: God’s messengers. Now I’m beginning to get those eerie feelings !
By now I am on my way to the Fairmont Cemetery. I have to go there, whether I get anything out of the trip or not ! I don’t believe in real haunted places or flying saucers and those things, but maybe there is something in this world that is divine that I’m missing. So there I was turning into the cemetery entrance, passing by the mausoleum and a big hollowed out oak tree. I’m thinking to myself, “What is it that I’m looking for?“ I feel silly driving through a cemetery while I’m out of town.
I drove around up and down each road. “No there is nothing, ok so I was here anyway,” I thought to myself. That evening, it was about seven I believe, I drove past the river road where I saw Henry the night before. There he was again, but this time he was with a teenage girl . I parked the car and walked over to them, waving. The girl waved. I walked on over and she spoke my name. I felt awkward because we have never met. She smiled and said, “My name is Sabrina.” The three of us chatted about Jesus . I was amazed how much this girl knew about the Bible !
After about an hour I said that I had to be getting to the motel, and they both said that they had a nice visit with me. Now my problem was I was suppose to be in Kenton by the next afternoon. I couldn’t just leave this area now, after what all I have experienced ! I am one of those “can’t leave it be” type of people. I got to experience and learn more; it was like a science project to me ! I was on the verge of discovering something fantastic!
I went back to the motel and reached into the night stand for the Gideon’s Bible. I wrote down all of the scriptures that the girl spoke about. Surprisingly enough she nailed all of the scriptures to the wall (so to speak). Now my curiosity was driving me crazy, this was getting even more exciting!
I prayed that night asking God to help me with this. I was going to get bold and do a little detective work in the morning before I left for Kenton. The next morning before I went for my coffee, I drove down by the street that runs by the Sandusky River. I looked for Henry and/or Sabrina, but no sight of them. I was …disappointed. Now I’m thinking, “I’m getting obsessed with this ghostly angel stuff !”
Well…I stopped by the Clark station and got a medium coffee with caramel creamer. I got to thinking if the Lord wants me to see these people, then I’ll see them, and it won’t be on my time nor my terms. I was running late, I must let it go! On my way to Kenton.
Tuesday evening I go a motel room in Kenton; it wasn’t far from downtown. That was nice; I could walk into town to the café on Main Street. I told one of the men at the meeting that I stopped in the other town just northeast of here. I asked him if he had ever heard of the River Ghost Gang, he said that he had but had never seen them. He continued by saying that he doesn’t believe in angels and that stuff.
I wanted to know more, I’m on this sort of detective mission, so I asked, “Why are they called The River Ghost Gang?” He said that people have claimed to see four or five ghosts hanging around the Sandusky River during the early evening. Some people have also claimed them to be heavenly bodies that guide people from danger and that sort of thing. He again assured me that he did not believe in them !
I had to be traveling back home the next day, but I thought what the heck ! I can spare one more day and go back to this town and this cemetery, and maybe, just maybe I will get to see what I want to see, God willing of course!!
I came to the conclusion that the people who didn’t believe in angels are the ones who have never seen them! I prayed that God would either let me see them once more, or it would be over. In the morning I was going back, and I hoped that I would see Henry, Sabrina and maybe another ghostly angel. It’s like talking to someone in a thick fog. It’s hard to explain but at any rate, I was going back in the morning !
I was off to ghost river; now I’m talking crazy ! It is weird because I feel like I need to be with them. Or is it just a strong appealing attraction that I can’t control
? All that I know is I feel safe and welcomed around them. It’s like we have been friends for years !
Going through the town where I first saw them, I headed up to the cemetery first. Then I got thinking, the only time that I have seen Henry and the girl was early evening; I think I’m rushing things here a bit ! Who is running the show here, God or me?! This is the first bit of sense that has gone through my brain for days!
I stopped and got some gas and a bite to eat at a local root beer stand across from the shopping center. I was going to kill time doing something until early evening. I made up my mind that if I didn’t see any angels today, that I would head straight home. I went over to the shopping center, then drove to the library to do some research. Yeah, that’s a good way to pass the time!
I went through the history books and the microfilm all pertaining to the county. There was little said about the River Ghost Gang. The only part that I found interesting is that there had been early revivals and baptisms in the river back in the 1800’s in that very same location. Wow!!
I ate dinner at some restaurant just down the street from where I saw Henry. It was once a mill that was made into a restaurant. Pretty nifty, I thought ! After I had dinner and over stayed my welcome, I felt, I headed for the river bank. Yes, there is Henry and two other ghosts or angels, or whatever they are.
I parked my car and made my way towards them. “Hello,” the one man said. This guy was middle-aged and was dressed like a solider, or that was my impression.
The third man was wearing a suit. He was heavier set and reminded me of a businessman. They all three talked among themselves for a minute then began to pray for me. I heard a noise, like someone walking through the leaves. After they prayed I raised up my head and opened my eyes and saw Sabrina. The gang was all here!
I asked, “Who are your friends?”
Henry said, “This is Jacob and this is Samuel.” We shook hands and said, “Glad to meet you !” I told them that I had been up to the cemetery, they asked me why.
I said, “I was looking for you.”
Jacob said that the cemetery was a place to bury the dead. “Oh, yeah,” I said. “I don’t know I thought that would be where I would find ghosts, ha-ha.” Boy that was real stupid of me I thought!
Sabrina held a small book and she was running her right hand over it slowly.
I asked her, “Whatcha got there ?”
“The Holy Bible,” she replied. Henry began reciting scripture to me. The others praised God lifting their hands and showing the greatest joy on their faces that I had ever witnessed!
Samuel asked, “Would you like to go to the cemetery?”
I said, “Sure, why not!”
Jacob asked me, “Have you forgiven everyone that you had trespassed against you?” I told him I thought so !
I don’t really know what happened; there was a lapse of time somehow we were all talking and there we were in the cemetery praying for the loved ones that were left behind, praying for their salvation and comfort for their loss. It was really neat, I was accepted by these mature Christians; this is awesome !
Well anyway, it began to get dark and each of them left one by one, Henry stayed until I began to leave. I was satisfied, I didn’t need to investigate any further. This was something from God. At 6:00 am the alarm went off, waking me to a Sunday morning in Port Clinton.
Yes, this was only a dream, but you know, if I had more dreams like this, I would feel a lot more alive !
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