Over the weekend, I met a relative of Colonel Fielding Hurst. He went with us to Purdy Cemetery and was going to show us where the Old Purdy Cemetery was located before we were asked to leave.
This descendant states that in his personal opinion, if anyone were to be haunting Hurst Mansion it would more than likely be Colonel Fielding’s wife, Melocky Hurst. He says that it was told through the generations of his family that Mrs. Hurst was very saddened by having to leave her dream home and this is why he believes her spirit may still be there.
I was also told that many of the Hursts buried in this area are children that Colonel Hurst conceived with his slaves. He stated that the descendants of these children attend the family reunions to this day. I had read that he had children with several of his slaves. I can’t remember if I read it on Kevin D. McCann’s blog or on HurstNation.com, but it was one of those sites.
Anyone with interesting information on the Hurst Family, please email tnhauntings@writersbeacon.com.
Do you have any pictures from Purdy Cemetery trip? How was it? The place was in pretty bad shape when I visited in 2004. Lots of partying debris and vandalism.
I have not attended the family reunion so I don’t know about that, but I did chat with an african american descendant and she was not sure if she came from a Fielding Hurst / Slave lovechild type of thing or if it was more of the fact that slaves often took the surname of their masters, ala Ab Hurst. I have never seen any tangible proof that Col. Hurst had any children from slaves and am not sure if this is more Col. Hurst Legend or not. I tend to question everything I hear about Col Hurst and assume it is not true, until proven so. Otherwise, you end up dealing with propaganda and myth mixed in with the facts.
Very interesting stuff. We could probably do some DNA testing and find out for sure on the slave love child issue.
Pictures from both trips to Purdy Cemetery can be found in the photos category.
myself and my wife and a few others, new the man that owns hurst manson and we got the key to the old house. last night we went in the old house. we went to the basement, up stairs in all rooms of the house and never felt that feeling, you know the felling that someone is with you. we got bored and decided to leave and go to the cemetary. and nothing happened there either. i guess it just was not late enought, we took a few pictures there and went home. ounce we got home i downloaded the pictures to my computer. we took probably twenty pictures or so, but nothing downstairs. even horseplayed around the piano. play with the keys, snapping pictures but nothing. went up stairs and started taking pictures in both rooms and the staircase, but nothing. no strange sounds, nothing. when i got to the pictures of the staircase, i noticed that their was alot of orbs. and when we got to the pictures of upstairs, their were orbs everywere. in both rooms and on the staircase. when we left and went outside. we went to the rear of the residence, were we was told that there was a tree out back were they use to hang slaves. i started taking pictures and observed two orbs in the back yard, one orb was very large and bright, the brightest i’ve ever seen. the brightest orb i’ve ever seen was on tv. so there are some activity at the manson. we are gonna get permission again and get the key, and investigate somemore. later scooter
Scott, I honestly believe the house itself is not haunted. I have a few pictures of paranormal activity at the slave quarters across the street from the house. I believe the haunting is on the grounds and it is quite possibly the slaves. If you would like to know more, email me at tnhauntings@writersbeacon.com.
I would also like to remind others that if you are caught on this property without permission, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
What is the address of this cemetery that way i can go see it
I honestly don’t have an address. I could drive you right to it but could not tell you even one of the road names along the way. Wild 100.7 of Corinth, MS did a live remote from the area. They could probably give you an address. Their website is http://www.wydl.com/.
me and a couple friends are going to purdy cemetary on saturday and were going to be video taping and taking pics. can anyone tell me some good places to go and where colonal fielding hurst’s grave is?
Colonel Fielding Hurst is buried in Mt. Gilead Cemetery. Liberty Church is also near Purdy. (Do you know there are two Purdy Cemeteries…Old Purdy and New Purdy?) Whatever you do, stay away from Hurst House…or take bail money.