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Investigation # 13 - Monmouth Battlefield,
(Manalapan, NJ) - June 30, 2014
Sutfin Farmhouse
It's funny how things seem to play out in this world of the Paranormal. For the most part when I am at Monmouth Battlefield on the northern side of the park, I am constantly walking back and forth by the Sutfin farmhouse. I do a quick shout out that I will stop on my way back and spend some time trying to communicate with any spirits that are there. Then I often run out of time and on my way back, I will shout out "Sorry, no more time, gotta go, I'll stop back." Then the same thing happens again and again. Did the same thing back on May 10, when I took a group of friends out here. We had intended to stop by the house after visiting the Thompson-Taylor farmhouse. However, bad weather started coming in so we had to leave before spending any time there.
I had really wanted to spend some time here as back in early May, I was contacted by a local photographer named Joe Valencia. He runs a blog called The Wandering Photographer where he showcases his various trips to places and the photographs he takes at the locations. Joe frequents Monmouth Battlefield and told me on one particular day as he was there and approached the Sutfin farmhouse, he got this eerie feeling from the house. The closer he got, the stronger the feeling got. Like somebody was inside watching from the windows. He then went back the next day and the same thing happened again. Joe also ran into a hiker and asked the hiker if he had a similar experience. The hiker said yes! You can read that part of Joe's blog here.
Now on top of this, I am friends with a fellow named Pete who I met at the Craig House back in 2012. Pete is a member of the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield and a great historian who is very knowledgeable about the Battle of Monmouth. He helps out at the Visitor center on weekends, usually wearing a uniform of that period in history. He had told me also that he was getting reports of other people having the same experiences at the Sutfin Farmhouse as Joe and the hiker he met! On the May 10th trip to Monmouth, some of the group I was with also got a feeling like they were being watched from the windows as we passed by the house!
Joe and I made plans to meet just after the anniversary of the battle on June 30th. Joe would be inviting a friend and fellow photographer named Chris and I was inviting Pete to join us as well. A nice group of four. I would investigate and show everybody what I do, Joe and Chris would partake in the photography and Pete provided the knowledge of the area, plus taking an active role in the investigation as well.
This was a great opportunity to try out some new trigger objects I picked up earlier at the Battle of Monmouth Reenactment. A tin cup, corn cob pipe and a pot scrubber. All objects that could have been used by soldiers or civilians back in the 1700's and 1800's. Plus I was able to take a piece of thin plywood and make a mini table out of it and a broken tripod that I could no longer use for my camcorders!
Here is how the set up would work. I would place the trigger objects I got plus the ones I already had (piece of flint, wooden cartridge holder, spoon and a musket ball) and spread them around my makeshift table. Then I took the REM POD and ran an alligator clip (courtesy of my friends Bob and Sandra from Bearfort Paranormal) from it to the tin cup that I would place water in. During the Battle of Monmouth, water was worth its weight in gold as many soldiers died from heat stroke that day. Water was needed to keep hydrated and cool.
With the wire spread around in a loop around most of the trigger objects, any attempt by anything unseen to grab at a trigger object would set off the REM POD. This is because the electrical field given off by the REM POD antenna travels through the alligator clip to the tin cup. The stand would be a big help as it would bring the objects off the ground to a level where an adult spirit could reach for instead of stooping to the ground. At least in theory that is how it would work!
We met around 6:00PM at the parking area on Rt. 522 and then proceeded over to the Sutfin House. As we got there, I explained how I would set up the table with the trigger objects. Of course I had to walk through tall, tick infested grass to set up the table. Fortunately, we did bring bug repellent to use and only had to pull 2 deer ticks off my socks when I got home!
While I set up, I had given Pete one of my Mel-Meter's to use and watch for signs of EMF spikes. Joe and Chris went around to different areas around the house to take photographs. I called out for the spirits, let them know I was there, wanted to know why they were giving hikers the creeps. I said folks like that are not there to investigate and/or interact with spirits. I was there now and if they had something they wanted to communicate, now was there chance. I motioned to the table and I mentioned the objects that were there. If they were interested, they go over and check them out. Especially the tin cup with water for anybody who was thirsty.
As I would not be standing in the tick infested grass any longer than I wanted to, I left my digital recorder on the stand to see if any EVP would be picked up. While Pete and I were talking on the dirt road, about 20 feet away, we noticed the REM POD starting to buzz.
Sutfin House EVP #1 - Not an EVP, but amplified so you can hear in this clip as Pete is talking, the REM POD slowly start to buzz. It took us a few seconds to hear it after it started. This was the first time I have ever had the REM POD sound off anywhere at Monmouth Battlefield!
I waved Joe over and he came over as it was buzzing. Not full, grab the antenna buzz, but maybe like something was near the alligator clip. I slowly made my way over through the grass, as I wanted to get a closer look at the table. There were small grasshoppers about and some flies, but I never had insects set off the REM POD before. As I approached the table, I could not see any bugs on the REM POD, the tin cup or the alligator clip. I stood at the table for a few seconds before it finally stopped.
For the next 45 minutes or so that we were there, this was the only time the REM POD buzzed. If originally caused by an insect, surely I would have expected this noise to produce itself again as the tall grass did have its share of flying bugs and tiny grasshoppers. Was this caused by something paranormal? Hard to say, but again, this was the first time it ever worked out here on the field. Normally I do have it on the ground, today it was on my makeshift table.
Something to definitely try again in the future!
I did bring back another toy ball with me and threw it through the open window frame on the far right of the building. Again declaring it a toy for the kids since I had caught the sound of a small boy saying "Ok" to me on my first trip here back in 2011.
The window opening on the far right is
where I threw the ball into. Got it in on my first throw!
After a bit of further action from the equipment on the table. I decided to do a Spirit Box session at the table while Joe and Chris continued to take photos. Pete walked up and down the hiking trail behind the farmhouse and getting spikes on the Mel-Meter. I'm not surprised by this as the Mel-Meter seems to get spikes all over the field from the times I was there in the past.
While doing the quick spirit box session, I got 3 replies that had some possible significance to them. Voices replayed twice at the end.
Sutfin House GB #1 - Here a voice says what sounds like leave followed by a female voice that sounds like she is saying the word "friend". I acknowledge this. However on the review, she is not saying "friend", she is saying "Fred."! Why is this significant? Just back on May 10 at the Molly Pitcher overlook, we caught a solid EVP of a woman saying the name "Fred". Is this the same female spirit and is she looking for somebody named "Fred"?
Sutfin House GB #2 - Here a female voice says the name "Ann". I ask if this is Ann Sutfin, but no response. Notice the static from the spirit box? That is because I have it wrapped up in a Faraday pouch. This is used to cut down radio signals. As we are close to New York, you would expect to pick up a lot of radio chatter as I prefer to use AM stations. But as you notice, barely any there. Yet the name "Ann" came through pretty good!
Sutfin House GB #1 - The only other item of significance is when I am getting ready to shut down the P-SB7 spirit box. I am staring my count to 5 and a voice cries out, "Wait!". A common thing that happens. As if a spirit does not want the session to end and keep it open. There were no last second messages this time around.
We all gathered back in front of the house to talk for a bit, I was explaining about how the spirit box worked and the theory behind it and some other things. While we are talking, the audio recorder is still on the table. We end up catching quite a few EVPs from this point. (Headphones should be used to hear these EVPs. Replayed twice at end of clip with noise amplification.
Sutfin
House EVP #2 - You can hear Pete very faintly in the background as we
are standing about 20-25 feet away. All of a sudden you hear what
sounds like a deep female voice say something. On the replay, it
sounds like she is saying "10", though it is subjective as you could
also hear a word that rhymes with 10. Maybe "Ken" as the fellow
who was with me here last year or maybe "hen" as it was a farm and probably
had hens about.
Sutfin
House EVP #3 - Not long after "10" is heard, the same exact voice is now
saying what sounds like "13". You can hear the voices of us talking in
the background, but this voice is clearly not us. If she
is saying numbers to us, what significance does 10 and 13 have?
Another mystery at Monmouth!
After a few more minutes, we moved again to the back side of the farmhouse where Joe and Chris took some more photos. After seeing their equipment and my puny Fujifilm point and shoot camera, I really, really think I need to consider upgrading to better cameras!
Joe just off camera to the left and Chris
to the right taking close up photos of the farmhouse and the surrounding
area!
After we moved to the other side of the house, some more EVPs were captured by the audio recorder I left behind!
Sutfin House EVP #4 - In this clip, you here an airplane coming overhead and some background noise. Then you hear what sounds like somebody saying the word "Sit". Again, this is too close to the audio recorder, this is that scratchy, whispery type sound often found with EVP. Plus, there is no reason for anybody to sit down, especially in that tick infested grass!
Sutfin House EVP #5 - Just a few moments later, this faint voice is caught during an airplane flying over head. I amplified the replay as best I could, but there is a male voice asking what sounds like "Just for me?" It makes sense as I have laid out a table of items that would have been of interest for a farmer or soldier from the 1700's or 1800's.
We then met back in front of the house for a few moments to discuss moving on down towards a fence row that was held by British troops during the battle. As we are talking in the background we get this odd sound.
Sutfin House EVP #6 - We are still on the dirt road when it sounds like somebody tries to blow into the recorder mike. A whooshing sound. We never heard it, nobody made that sound. It is not wind or a breeze as they make a very distinctive sound. It is not a bird or a bug that I know of that could make a sound like that. What it is or what made it, I have no idea.
This was the last EVP we picked up before me decided to move down about 50 yards to the fence line. Pete and I were out in front as Joe and Chris followed a little ways back as they were taking photos along the way.
Hiking path along a corn field leading
from the Sutfin Farmhouse to the hedgerow area.
Just as we approached the fence line, Pete again was noticing little spikes on the Mel Meter. As we were just arriving to the area, we caught a much louder EVP.
Sutfin House EVP #7 - In this clip you hear Pete mention something. I say "okay" and then the EVP is heard. To me it sounds like "Leave". It sounds like a grumpily spirit talking fast. It is clearly not Joe or Chris as they walking a little way behind us and Pete and I do not acknowledge what has just been said.
Then a few minutes later as I am setting up the table again and the Paramid, Pete is explaining how the British withdrew from this area during the late afternoon of the battle. During his explanation of the retreat, we caught our last EVP of the day.
Sutfin House EVP #8 - At the 7 second mark, after Pete is telling me how the British withdrew from this area, you hear a faint voice say "Yes." Replayed twice at the end. So is this the spirit of a British soldier or somebody familiar with the battle agreeing with Pete's description of the events that took place? If so, then Pete has got his history down pat according to possible testimony from somebody who might have been there!
Pete walking down along the fence line
with the Mel-Meter. Jon the bottom of the picture, I have the Paramid set up with a British flag on the left side, the
Colonial 13 star flag on the right side. Wanted to see if I could get
somebody to approach the flag of their country, but no luck in doing
so.
Joe setting up his camera and tripod for
some pictures of the sun setting over the tree tops from the direction we
came from. So I tried it too!
Using my standard Fujifilm 12MP digital
camera.
Using my full spectrum digital camera.
Nothing paranormal in these photos. All the shadows, orb looking
lights, streaks, etc are all lens flare and completely natural.
We stayed in the area a little bit longer until 8:00PM came upon us and the Park Ranger drove past us in his cart with his dogs on the way back to his house on the field. We then hiked back to the parking lot to discuss everything before heading home. I was happy to hear Joe say that this time around, he experienced no bad or eerie feelings. To me it seems this time the spirits got their chance to communicate and didn't have to watch from the windows this time around.
Joe wrote up a wonderful article on his blog about his experience that day and it is a great read. Especially since it is from the eyes of a skeptic. Well open minded skeptic. His blog in general is excellent. If you like photography and want some pointers, I highly recommend Joe. His work speaks for itself!
So what can we conclude from this day. As Joe asked in his blog, did the EVPs we captured this day prove the existence of spirits at the Sutfin farmhouse and Monmouth Battlefield? Of course not. While I believe 100% these EVPs are from the spirits of those who lived and died decades and centuries ago, it is not conclusive proof. It just shows that something unknown to us is out there (natural or unnatural) that is causing audio recorders to pick up voices that we cannot hear. Sometimes they seem random, sometimes they seem like they are intelligent and in direct response to our words and questions.
It's one reason I love the paranormal, the mystery of it all. Trying to figure it all out. I don't think it will happen in my lifetime, but I'll keep plugging away to try to get some answers!
