THE GHOST IN THE TURNIP PATCH

By ELOISE SCOTT

White County Historical Society President, 1979-80

Eloise Scott grew up in the Lebanon community and wrote about it many times in the Historical Society's annual White County Heritage. This is one of her favorite tales of the early days.

 

T

here were some fun things that happened in connection with this community that I am sure some of you will recall. One thing that was told to me was that Uncle Zach Rogers was a very industrious and economically minded person; so much so, that it bothered him for the cemetery to be lying idle when there were few graves there.  One fall he plowed the vacant area and planted it in turnips.  As you would expect, some of the people in the community were not particularly overjoyed with this act.

Some of the boys decided that they would assist Mr. Rogers by helping harvest the turnips.  Another young man heard of the plan so decided to take a little different approach.  On the night planned for the harvest this young man covered himself with a sheet and hid until the turnip-pulling was well under way.  He then began to moan and appeared swaying from side to side.