Archives On The Air

Archives On The Air 169: The Haunting Of The Centlivre Family—Centlivre Family Papers

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The Centlivre family lived in the Midwest. In 1913 their daughter's spirit began communicating with them. The daughter died at age four. They called her spirit "J".

John Centlivre recalled in 1957 how his sister made knocking sounds to talk with her family.

"J" answered yes or no questions by knocking on the kitchen table. John remembered the spirit moved things. "J" once lifted his foot off the ground.

"J" wrote the family letters. They would sit together and could hear "J" write underneath the table.

The haunting ended after one year.

You can relive the spiritual contact in the Centlivre Family papers at UW's American Heritage Center.