Shedd, Or. Fayetteville Rd, Called the Porter-Brassfield

by Michelle Dormer
(Kelso, Wa. USA)

My Aunt bought an old house in Shedd, Or. called the Porter-Brassfield. When I moved in i was told by my aunt some of the history. It was built by David Porter who died of a heart attack in a copper tub. The house was inherited by his daughter Ida Brassfield who died of what i think was old age in the master bedroom. I know in the years before my aunt got the house it had been purchased by someone who stripped it of the antique fixtures and then sold to someone who used it as a rental. Its a very small town and we heard a few stories. main one is we were told the renters had seen a woman and a little girl. Mostly the woman though. someone checked the history and couldn't find a little girl on record. My aunt had said that the only thing she ever hears is the sound or knocking or something falls. Nothing seemed to be disturbed. My cousin had the master bedroom that Ida died in. I was in there for a short time until they cleared out what was the smallest room in the house. they did this because my cousins 1 year old son kept waking up screaming. now that i think about it he may have been deliberately disturbed. My cousin now says the place creeped her out. She recently told me that the bedroom door would open on its own. She thought it was me messing around but it really hard to sneak up those stairs without creaking. My experience started one

evening during the summer when i was on my way to work. No one was home and as walked out the door i heard something thumping around upstairs. i paused and listed some until it stopped. So I decided to say something to who ever it was. I yelled into the house that "i here you and acknowledge your existance!" And then i left. About 2 weeks later I went to bed like I always do but this time I got woken up by who i thought was my cousin. "Michelle!" was spoken into my left ear. I said "What!" I thought it was my cousin. But as i looked there was no one there. I was thinking my cousin was messing with me so looked down on the floor. No one. She couldn't have made it out the door that fast with out making a bunch of noise. And she couldnt hide under the bed it was a daybed with a trundle. As i lay there the hairs on my arm stood on end. It was Ida. Totally cool! My aunt sold the house a while back and they have taken it off the historic register so that they can build a large garage on it. Which they have. But my aunt never mentioned ghosts to them. You can find the house on line listed as the Porter-Brassfield. I bet they know its haunted by now. The ;ocals most likely told them too. To this day it is my favorite house. I have had other encounters else where but this one is the best.



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Apr 02, 2022
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starstarstarstarstar 		More stories NEW
by: Anonymous

We heard Ida or lil girl hum oh my darling clementine. It was surreal. We hid in parlor for quite some time. They like children
Dec 10, 2013
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starstarstarstarstar 		Current "caretaker" NEW
by: Sheila

My husband and I are the current caretakers of the house ...I say caretaker because we really don't think of ourselves as owning it, but more as being responsible for honoring the house and its history. We've lived here for seven years.

I have never had anything especially weird happen, although at times I have sensed a "presence" which seemed to me to be female, but this was just a feeling. No sounds, nothing moving around, no visual evidence of anything.

I do have one granddaughter who seems to be in tune with something here, and very secretively wrote and hid messages around the property that she said were for "the workers". She wouldn't let me see the notes and I was never able to find them although I looked. She said that someone talked to her on the stairs. She is a very creative child and from the time she could talk, came up with some very imaginative stories, which is not to say that this is a story although some draw this conclusion.

Some of my other grandchildren are afraid to stay overnight in the house, but I think more because of stories that they've told each other trying to frighten each other.

Always happy to hear from people that have an interest in the Porter-Brasfield house. You can email me at HarleyLady_01@hotmail.com

PS. It is my understanding that Ida died in the mid-1950s at the house she had in Albany (which still stands downtown). I have a photo of the family on the steps of that house. She moved there when she became older and didn't want to live out in the country any more.
Jan 10, 2013
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starstarstarstarstar 		So many stories to recall.... NEW
by: Anonymous

Yes, two of my sisters and a brother were born in the small room off the "fireplace room," as we called it. The parlor room was on the other side of the wall from the birth room and had an adorable little bedroom off of it which we called the "circuit writers room."
All of us have stories about hearing the spurs clinking as the man walked the halls upstairs and down. I know that one of my sisters saw him (Mr. Porter we presume) regularly leaning against her bedroom doorway at bedtime.
Doors would open a lot on their own. The sound of firewood being thrown against the wall beside the kitchen, the fireplace room, was a regular occurance.
All the years that we lived there (13), we respected the ghosts. Only on two occassions do I remember them becoming increasingly disruptive. Once was when I was very young my parents had a Priest come and bless the house. My parents called the ghosts by their names, "Ida," "Mr. Porter," and "the little girl." The other time was when we were close to moving out. I don't think they liked the disturbance of our moving. A fork appeared and flew across the room and hit the sofa next to where I was sitting and discussing our move with the new tenant. During the time of our move, the sounds the ghosts would make were getting louder and more frequent.
I love this house so much. It's a magical place, even though at times it was terrifying to live in. I remember running, screaming from the house after school one day when I was alone. The man and his spurs scarred me and kept getting closer and louder to the room I was in. Rarely did I find myself alone in that house and that was a scarier memory.
Several of my friends saw and heard the ghosts. Again, my Mom and Dad handled this all with respect and grace. We were taught to say a prayer or chant when we felt the ghosts or were scared by them. I don't remember exactly how it went but something like, "In the name of God, leave this place." Possibly, my sisters can remember how it went.
It's been fun reading this post and the subsequent comments. I teared up and got goose bumps right away. It takes me back to all those terrifying, unusual, unique experiences. Thank you all for sharing. I love knowing that other children saw the man with spurs at bedtime. I believe the ghosts liked having children there.
Oct 31, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		Shedd House NEW
by: Anonymous

I was born in this house along with a sister and younger brother of mind in the downstairs bedroom off of the parlor. We have all had interesting experiences in the house. And my brothers used to say they would wake up from the sound of "bells on shoes" which we interpreted as cowboy boots with spurs. I used to hear a little girl crying usually in the middle room upstairs with the attic. Bumping and strange creaks were present mostly. My mom and sisters have the best stories.

Still to this day it is and will always be my most special place where I was born and lived for half my life. This house is so special and so many wonderful memories. I just hope who ever owns it now, appreciates the house and takes care of it. So cool reading your stories! Thank you for sharing!
Sep 04, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		Little girl NEW
by: Anonymous

A little girl did die there... I think she was 5 or 6. We lived there too. One day it sounded like someone was moving funtiture upstairs and no one was there when we expected. We also put flour on the front staircase... Tiny footprints. Either Ida or the little girl. A friend that lived there before us had a young brother that said an old man with bells on his feet would tuck him in at night. We think it was the farmer and his spurs!

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