In those days pack peddlers were very common. There was one who sold jewelry who made it a habit of spending the night with Mr. Dedrick when passing through this valley. On one such occasion he was seen entering the house just as it was growing dark, and was never seen again. 

The house set back some distance from the road with a fine grove of trees in front of it. Soon after Mr. Dedrick sold the house and for several years after the farm and house rapidly changed hands. Some of the owners had it for only four to ten years. As time went on the owners stayed longer periods. 

In a northeast bedroom was a large dark spot on the floor which looked like an old blood stain. Try as one might it was impossible to remove this stain as long as the house stood. 

From this spot drops of the same stain led out of this room past the head of the stairs, back the length of the stair well to a dark closet over the stair well. Here another large spot was found. 

The story became current that Mr. Dedrick had killed the old peddler in the bedroom and dragged the body to the closet and concealed it until he could dispose of it. 

Every family that moved in claimed to hear men fighting in this bedroom and to hear one fall and being dragged around the stairs to the closet. Sometimes they could hear someone walking up the path to the front door but could see no one nor any tracks. 

In 1852 it fell into the hands of Ira Canfield. He kept it six years and sold it to a Jacob Reckhow. Mr. Reckhow kept it four years and sold it to Anna and Henry Edwards. Within the next ten years Mrs. Edwards died and was buried on the farm. 

Mr. Edwards, according to records found, held it the longest period of time. In 1885 he sold it to E. A. Osborn. Mrs. Osborn and Mrs. Anna Edwards were old schoolmates. Mr. Osborn sold out to his son-in-law, Oscar Bailey, in 1898. Mr. Bailey sold off much of the original farm in lots and small plots. Later he sold the house and a few acres to Charles Haynes. 

It was while Mr. Haynes owned it that the old house burned. Here's hoping the old ghost was vanquished. 

Mrs. Allie Briggs of Shinglehouse, widow of the late A. W. Briggs, who was prominent in politics in the county at one time, was the youngest daughter of Mr. Osborn and was about nine years old when her father moved to this house.

"When a girl, in my middle teens, I was staying with my aunt, Mrs. Oscar Bailey. One day a lady, a relative of the Canfields, came to call. During the visit I remember her asking my aunt, with bated breath as if afraid the ghost would hear, if they had heard it recently. My aunt replied no. But a short while after, one afternoon, there was a terrific fall or drop sounded through the house which somewhat frightened my aunt -- but I was not quick enough to catch the ghost."