Haunted by Mom, s’il vous plaît!

History Spotlight by Doug Humes

Photos from the collection of The Shalles Family

Three generations of Haws family lived and died in a farmhouse built by Worrall Haws in 1854 at Old Cedar Grove and Cedar Grove Roads. When granddaughter Ruth Haws died in 1991, the house sat vacant, a time capsule with everything exactly as she left it when she was admitted to a nursing home.

Ruth Haws’ painting of the front door of the Haws house

Since Ruth Haws' death in 1991, the Shalles family, who were friends of the Haws family, looked after the place, and tried to figure out how to maintain and preserve it, after decades of deferred maintenance. In that role, each member of the Shalles family had unusual close encounters with Haws family members from the past.

The Haws family in front of their barn, circa 1915

Bob Shalles and his father had experienced a number of eerie occurrences at the house, enough to bring in the experts. A team of young paranormal investigators arrived, with their equipment, planning to spend the night in the house. Bob recalls that within a half hour, they rushed out and left with no explanation. In a follow-up call, one volunteer described encountering a very hostile old woman, speaking French, who made it clear that the investigators were unwelcome. And so they skedaddled.

Edward & Rosalie Haws at the door of the haunted Haws house

Bob then contacted Laurie Hull, a noted psychic and paranormal investigator based in Media. I reached out to her for this story, to see if she remembered her 2007 visit. She sure did:

As soon as we entered the 2nd floor of the house, I immediately picked up on the spirit of an older woman who did not want visitors. She didn’t like strangers coming through the house. As we descended from the second to the first floor, we saw a ball of light pass from the kitchen area through to the living room. I felt the woman who did not want us there was Ruth’s mother, Rosalie.

Rosalie Françoise Groene Haws, in happier times

Ruth Haw’s mother, Rosalie Françoise Groene, was born in Paris in 1864, came to this country, married Edward Mitchell Haws and moved to this house in 1886. She raised three children there, one son dying at home at age 3.

Rosalie’s French birth certificate

Rosalie’s husband (Ruth’s father) died on the farm in 1936. Rosalie died in that house in 1949. Ruth continued to live there, without electricity, running water or central heating. To outsiders, Ruth lived alone. But her mother knew better.

Our mothers are always there to protect. Even when they’re not.

For more on the history of Marple, visit the Marple Historical Society website and Facebook page, and join the Society to keep up to date on coming events: www.MarpleHistoricalSociety.org