Investigation:
Potentially haunted property, Berkshire Mountains, MA.

Dates:
Starts November 2009

Shekinah Paranormal Investigators: Jeffrey J. Messenger, Scott Messenger, Jon Messenger, Dan

Murzin, Chris Daddio

Guest investigators from Central CT Paranormal Society: Scott Haire, Lisa McElwee, John Gonyea

Traditional Catholic Suffumigation Team: David Considine,  Barbara Considine, Barbie Heid                                                                                                                                                                                                           
 

Equipment Used:
Sony Hi-8 Camcorders, with peripheral Infrared Illumination
Digital still cameras
Digital Recorders, with boundary microphone peripheral
Electromagnetic Field Gauss Meter , Parabolic microphone
 

SPI Investigation Case Ranking: B

 Nestled in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, a small farm completes a scene worthy

of any postcard. A modest and historic homestead, with a history dating back to the colonial era.

An anonymous family we'll call "The Clarksons" inherited the property from their grandfather, on

the Mother's side. They live in a renovated barn, providing a cozy modern apartment for the Father

(we'll call him Jim), Mother (we'll call her Sue), and nine year old daughter (we'll call her Karen).

An old farmhouse sits on the property, uninhabited. The family refuses to live inside the

comfortable dwelling.  Along with some structural issues, there was a negative atmosphere

within the home. Sue didn't like to enter this house, so Jim served as the primary caretaker.

The family does live a happy life inside the renovated barn, so the term "Farm of Sorrows"

did not extend to their personal corner.  

Sue's grandparents were the previous owners of the property. There were some mental

and physical abuse issues regarding the grandfather through the years. This man had different

mistresses located around the globe, as he traveled on business. The grandmother was aware

of this, and was obviously distressed by the family situation. Tragically she ended up taking her

life on the property. Sue's uncle discovered the suicide, which added weight to an already

troubled soul. This man led a violent life, and had served some time in prison. Eventually, he too

would commit suicide, by shooting himself in the head. He is buried near the farm, in a small

cemetery.

Beyond the tragic Clarkson family history, the property hosted generations of different farmers,

reaching back to the colonial era. One family experienced a fire in the old farmhouse, which

apparently caused some loss of life.

Various animals on the farm also seemed effected by the haunting activity. A Rottweiler was

continually nervous within the farmhouse, eventually passing on through a rare disorder. The

Cane Corso dog which the family currently owns is reluctant to go near, or enter, the old

farmhouse. The horses on the farm seemed to be stressed on occasion.

Sue Clarkson heard of SPI through a mutual friend, and had contacted Director Jeff

Messenger. She reported some odd sights, sounds, and feelings associated with the

property. The majority of the paranormal activity seemed to be focused in the old farmhouse.

Objects appeared to be moved around without explanation. Mild haunting phenomena was

experienced elsewhere on the property, such as the sound of mysterious whispers, 

footsteps, and the sighting of a gray mist cloud.

Come November of 2009, Jeff Messenger initiated the first investigative session at the

farm. Accompanying him would be  Scott Messenger, Dan Murzin, and guest Scott Haire.

The evening seemed uneventful, with the exception of both Scott and Dan having brief

episodes of nausea and dizziness. Subtle whispers were recorded, including one instructing

investigators to "shut-up." Jeff Messenger was concerned about the negative history of the

farmhouse, and the would be aggressive nature of the spirit whisper.

Over the next four months, various investigators from SPI and guests from CCPS conducted

several more investigations on the farm. Notable events included:

Multiple spirit whispers and noises were recorded, and occasionally heard!

Several Investigators experienced episodes of nausea, dizziness, and headaches. The

symptoms would quickly subside upon walking out of the old farmhouse.

 Jeff Messenger used "religious provocation" within the old farmhouse... commanding the

spirits to show a sign of their presence (in a non-harmful way), through the name of Jesus

Christ. After the provocation episode, investigators took a break and left the premises.

During this time, the old farmhouse's security system mysteriously armed a feature that

hadn't been in use for seven years... the motion detection system. The alarm went on and

off while no one was in the house. As investigators returned to the sound of the alarm, they

reported this development to Jim Clarkson. Jim was mystified by the activation of this alarm

feature. The alarm went off around 3 AM, a symbolic time for demonic spirit activity... a

mockery of Christ and the Trinity. One of the investigators at the scene, Chris Daddio, would

end up reporting that his wife was stirred by mysterious knocks and noises at their house in

Connecticut...at the exact time of the alarm incident.

On another visit, CCPS psychic Lisa McElwee sensed several spirits on the property. She also

suspected that part of the large tract of land contained the burial of one or two missing persons,

possibly being crime victims. Upon touring the old farmhouse, Lisa engaged in communication

with what she believed was a little girl (SPI does not endorse active communication with spirits).

The girl liked to hide inside a second floor closet. As Lisa sat in the closed closet, she asked the

"girl" if she could open it... and the door opened on it's own accord. As investigators studied the

scene further, Lisa (still sitting in the closet) heard a snarl in her left ear... and a hot sensation

rake down her back. Investigators uncovered two red welts on the back of her left shoulder,

one welt more of a scratch... featuring broken skin. Jeff suspected that the sad spirit of a

"frightened little girl" could of been a demonic pretense, leading up to the inevitable attack

on Lisa. Jeff commanded the spirit to cease all attack "through the blood of Jesus Christ,"

and the team quickly vacated the house.

Knowing this situation was potentially dangerous, Lay Religious Demonologist David Considine,

and his suffumigation team offered their services. Psychic Barbie Heid reconfirmed SPI's

conclusions, as she sensed a demonic spirit around the very closet where Lisa was attacked

(Barbie had no prior knowledge of this closet). During the Traditional Catholic ritual, the team

discovered the family horses standing in a part of the barn where they were not supposed to

be. Sue was startled to hear this, due to an unstable trap door in that part of the barn. After

ushering the horses back to their stalls, Sue reported that someone on our team must of left

one of the stall gates open. All team members denied doing this. This potential disaster could

of created an intense conflict, with Sue angered by the would be negligence of the team. Jeff

offered up the possibility that this stall was opened by the demonic spirit in question, in order

to create a conflict and prevent the suffumigation ritual  from reaching completion.

 As the time of the writing of this report, months have passed since the suffumigation ritual.

Sue reports that the Farm feels peaceful. The sense of pressure and dread she felt around the

property has subsided. The family reports that they argue less, and feel a relaxed atmosphere

on their property.

Weeks after the ritual, Jim found a small figurine hidden in the brick work, directly behind the

living room wood stove. It didn't look like any conventional "chimney doll" that occult practitioners

use as a "protection" measure, but it may of been intended as a protective measure... or as a

curse. It was a small, metal statuette with a typical pacific island appearance. It looked malevolent,

with a large grimace expression and green eyes. Per Jeff's recommendation, the family rid

themselves of the object.

With this case featuring multiple evp recordings, possible spirit attacks on investigators, the

telekinetic manipulation of a closet door, scratches on a psychic medium, and the successful

completion of a Catholic ritual, it will remain one of SPI's most memorable experiences. SPI

thanks the gracious "Clarkson" family for this investigative opportunity, and prays that God's

peace will forever erase the past despair suffered on this land.