This Irish Gothic stately mansion on the corner of Washington and Fourth is one that most would picturesque homes in downtown Monroe, but this charming estate has an unexpected past.
Built in 1848, and purchased by a one Mr. William H. Boyd in 1855. Mr. Boyd and his wife had two children, a son Edgar Seymour, and a little girl, Clara Anna. Unfortunately, however, both contracted scarlet fever during the epidemic. Edgar had only one week before his death attended Sunday School and assisted in singing his last hymn. Edgar, who was 12 years old, was buried Monday May 13th. His younger sister in attendance, planted a flower at his grave with her little hands. Just three days later Clara herself was overcome by the illness and died Thursday May 17th, 1860 at nearly three years of age. On Friday she was laid by her brother's side, "the flower still fresh on his grave. She, fair bud, beautiful and lovely, faded sooner than her flower, in Heaven to blossom."At the Monroe County Historical Museum there is a preserved copy of the tribute left for Clara in the newspaper it reads:
"Little Clara-- Did you ever see her? Did you know her-- that bright, beautiful child, with the large lustrous eyes--so ever varying in expression--now so bewitching in the merriment--now so full of soul and pity, as they gleamed out from their little orbs of tears--now so deep and wondering; with lips and pearly teeth and glowing cheeks and coy blushes and fitful laugh--and the long brown curls which clustered so lovingly over her heaven-like brow..." it continues to say "But, earth, with all its flowers and sunlight and skylight and its winding rivers and its beauties, was not bright enough for our little Clara, Farewell little Clara-- our sunbeam, our darling. She with "her Eddie", who awaited her on the "shining shore," are tenderly folded in the warms of Him "who doeth all things well."
"Little Clara-- Did you ever see her? Did you know her-- that bright, beautiful child, with the large lustrous eyes--so ever varying in expression--now so bewitching in the merriment--now so full of soul and pity, as they gleamed out from their little orbs of tears--now so deep and wondering; with lips and pearly teeth and glowing cheeks and coy blushes and fitful laugh--and the long brown curls which clustered so lovingly over her heaven-like brow..." it continues to say "But, earth, with all its flowers and sunlight and skylight and its winding rivers and its beauties, was not bright enough for our little Clara, Farewell little Clara-- our sunbeam, our darling. She with "her Eddie", who awaited her on the "shining shore," are tenderly folded in the warms of Him "who doeth all things well."
After Clara's passing there have been numerous sightings of a ghostly figure of a young girl inside the Boyd House also known as the "Irish Castle". One article found at the Monroe Historical Museum states that in the 70's then owner Phil Sessons, a Monroe Co. Deputy Sheriff who had a keen eye in observation, "heard his daughters making loud joyous sounds in the Play room at the head of the stairs. He quietly crept up to see what was going on and in the room were three little girls but Phil had only two children. Apparently the little girl saw him and quickly walked up the stairs to the third floor and vanished. Later he could find no trace of her."
Mike Timmney, a local who works at National City Bank, said that when he was in the sixth grade his friend looked out his bedroom window and saw a the faint image of a little girl looking back at him out of the 3rd floor window.
While at the Historical Museum I spoke with Chris, a staff member, and she was able to provide me with a story involving her son-in-law, Brandon, who lived in the Boyd home growing up. Supposedly, when he was a young child he recalls playing with a little girl in the home which can be assumed to be Clara Anna. Brandon was too young to have known of the legend of Clara remaining in the home.
While at the Historical Museum I spoke with Chris, a staff member, and she was able to provide me with a story involving her son-in-law, Brandon, who lived in the Boyd home growing up. Supposedly, when he was a young child he recalls playing with a little girl in the home which can be assumed to be Clara Anna. Brandon was too young to have known of the legend of Clara remaining in the home.
In addition to the ghost of little Clara Anna the Boyd home was also included in another spectacle. On October 26th, 2000, the Monroe Evening News stated that "Boyd's Irish Gothic home was used to hide escaped slaves as part of the underground railroad. Although there was no mention of any haunting in relation to the slaves escaping to freedom.