The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST, ESPECIALLY AROUND PARLEY'S ISLAND,
A STORY HAS BEEN HANDED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION OF THE
"GREY GHOST." THE STORY ORIGINATED PRIOR TO CIVIL WAR TIMES.
THE STORY BEGAN FROM A YOUNG MAN RETURNING HOME FROM A WAR TO
FIND HIS FIANCEE MARRIED. HE ONLY PEEPED IN A WINDOW AND FOUND
HER HAPPY, WHICH WAS HIS MAIN DESIRE, AND SO HE TURNED FROM THE
HOME AND WALKED INTO THE OCEAN.
ON MANY OCCASIONS, THE GREY GHOST HAS RETURNED AS A WARNING OF
IMPENDING TROUBLE OR DISASTER. THE LAST SUCH OCCURANCES WAS
DURING THE APPROACH OF THE HURRICANE, HAZEL, IN 1955. THE PEOPLE
IN CHARGE OF EVACUATING PARLEY'S ISLAND HAD CHECKED EACH HOUSE,
BUT AS THEY LEFT THE ISLAND, THEY SAW THE FIGURE OF THE GREY
GHOST IN A LIGHTED WINDOW WATCHING OVER THE ISLAND.
DURING MY VACATION ON THE ISLAND A FEW YEARS AGO, TWO TEENAGE
BOYS WERE WALKING ON THE BEACH BEFORE A THUNDER AND WIND STORM
ARRIVED, AND DECLARED THEY SAW A FIGURE WALKING TOWARD THEM. BUT
AS THEY CAME NEARER, THE FIGURE DISAPPEARED. WHEN THEY CAME
INSIDE, THEY WERE AS WHITE AS A SHEET, AS IF THEY HAD SEEN A
GHOST.

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; DORM ; PEABODY COLLEGE ; NASHVILLE

James Callow Keyword(s): SUICIDE

Date learned: 05-08-1969