The Insane Spinster Ghost of Appleton Ontario

Legend has it that in the sleepy village of Appleton, Ontario there is a house that was once built in the 1830’s for an affluent husband and wife that has been haunted for years.

When the couple found they had extra room in the house they invited the husband’s sister to live with them. She was a spinster through and through and life was fine until their brother passed away leaving twelve children behind to raise. Her brother and sister-in-law told the children to call the spinster: “Mummy dear”.

In time the children slowly drove the spinster to insanity, causing her to have a premature death.

The spinster’s soul never left the home and in 1970 a young family bought the very same house for a “song”.

They were never told that the house was haunted but were enthralled that the home came complete with a cemetery with seven graves.

The family started to see things out of the corner of their eyes and noted a constant cold spiritual presence when their young daughter was in one of the rooms.

They assumed that the spinster was none too happy about another child coming into the home after being driven to an early death by 12 others.

Her heart was cold and she could not let a single child’s voice disturb her further in her never ending unrest.

As years passed, she left the family at peace when she realized she would not have to look after their child. Some nights they can see her spirit roam through the hollyhocks and hear the swish of her skirts. People swear they can hear her repetitive angry whispering as the ghosts of twelve children follow her calling her “Mummy Dear!”

True story told to me this weekend and parts can be found in the book Ontario Ghost Stories by Barbara Smith.

Some people imagine Victorian women to have been prudish, reserved, and submissive to men—but many of the ‘spinsters’ who entered that competition were anything but. They were witty, irreverent, and proudly independent. I thought that was worth sharing.