by

Dave DeCosta

     There are volumes upon volumes of background material on the subject of Vampire Folklore. Accounts of vampires date back even to Roman, Greek and Mesopotamian traditions. Similar to negative spirits or demonic entities, many early cultures described vampire-like creatures as being ethereal in nature; a possessing spirits that take over a recently deceased corpse. One concept seems to be prevalent in most all traditions: a vampire must feast on either the blood or life-force of the living to sustain itself. The modern idea of people becoming vampires really begins in Eastern European Traditions. In fact the English "Vampire" stems indefinitely from the Slavic Languages- the Greek βρυκόλακας (Vrykolakas), the Serbian вампир (Wampir), and the Romanian Strigoi. These myths and legends would eventually travel west and eventually landed in in the Western Europe, where an Irish novelist would change the vampire folklore forever.   

    Bram Stoker is certainly best known for writing Dracula. In fact, in many circles he is only known for writing Dracula. After some ambition works centering around British occupation and the struggles of the Irish working class, he finally struck gold with Dracula. Stoker shapes the story of Jonathan Harker, a lawyer sent to Transylvania to do business with the blood-thirsty Count Dracula. At the same time, his fiancé Mina is visiting her friend Lucy. All three are stalked by the Count in varying manifestations. Eventually, through the aid and sacrifice of the eccentric the Dr. Van Helsing the fiend is extinguished. Thus, the modern archetype of the western vampire is born: 

Count Dracula= shape shifting, exsanguinating, bedroom-invading terror.

      There are many different opinions about Stoker's influences. Two prominent historical figures seem to really lend themselves to this character. The first is the infamous Vlad Tepés, Prince of Wallachia (modern Romania). The nature of Vlad's rule is wholly a matter of perspective. Many Romanians revere him as a great champion and defender of their people. However, German and Russian folklore portray him as a terror and a demon. One thing is clear; he treated all who crossed him with savage cruelty. He was called Dracula because his family belonged to the Order of the Dragon, an allegiance between the European aristocracy and the Holy Roman Empire. 

      The second figure is the Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Báthory (1560-1614). While the Báthory's were already a prominent European family, she became the most notorious of all and forever tarnished their good name. "The Blood Countess" was accused of luring young peasant girls to work in her castle only to murder them and bathe in their blood. This practice was supposedly done to keep the Countess looking young and beautiful. All it really did was stir up a political scandal and result in her imprisonment. While she was never formally convicted, witness accounts suggest that she and her conspirators killed over 600 women. Many consider her the world's first serial killer though this topic is obviously debatable. Many also speculate that the 1888 "Jack the Ripper" murders also played a significant role in Stokers 1897 publication. People who new Stoker confirmed the fact that he had been fascinated with the case as a young man.

     Another lesser-known influence came from America. It was rumored that, following his death, a newspaper clipping from The Providence Journal was found in a safe box in Stoker's quarters. It pertained to a debate which was stirring in New England over a folk practice that had been carried out by a family in Exeter, RI. While we now recognize that tuberculosis is an incredibly contagious disease which attacks and destroys the lungs, people did not and could not understand airborne pathogens at the end of 19th century. Therefore, many such pestilences were considered a curse upon a family and sometimes decorated with supernatural significance. Such was the case for The Brown Family.

     The Brown's were a farm family in rural Exeter. They were recognized as upstanding and useful people in the community. One night George Brown Unfortunately came to infect Mary, the wife of George Brown. She passed away in December of 1883. George's eldest daughter Mary Olive would also lose her battle with the disease. She passed in June of 1884. The "curse" continued until his two remaining children, daughter Mercy and son Edwin both showed symptoms.

   Both of their conditions worsened and Mercy passed away in January of 1892 at the age of 19. As it was still winter, her body was placed in the keep at Chestnut Hill Cemetery (below).

   As TB related deaths destroyed entire communities, a hysteria began to sweep through the the region, and a mob wanted to dig up the Brown family and find out if one of them was a vampire. Mr. Brown refused but, on March 17, 1897 the mob the mob made their way down to Chestnut Hill Cemetery exhumed the bodies anyway.

   The bodies of Mary and Mary Olive were brought up first. Both were in a reasonable state of decay. However, Mercy's body (having been in the holding keep all winter and only in the ground for 2 months) was in an extraordinarily preserved state. Some claim there was even fresh blood on the corners of her mouth. They had found their vampire. They removed her kidneys and liver to be given to the local medical examiner. The assumption that any organs were removed and burned to make a cure for her brother are purely speculative if not strictly legendary, though the concept of creating an antidote from the cause is certainly a reasonable scientific assertion. Mercy case is the most famous of the North American vampire cases, probably due to the fact that she was actually the last; the majority of which (at least a dozen) took place in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont and Eastern Connecticut.

   Some of reputable sources for information on real American and particularly New England vampire cases are Vampires, Burial and Death by Paul Barber, Food for the Dead: On the Trail of New England's Vampires by Dr. Michael Bell and Vampire Legends of Rhode Island by Christopher Rodina. Of course one can also delve go to source literature and decide for themselves. While subjects like ghosts, spirits, demons, possession and their eventual evolution into Vampires may seem fantastic to many in this modern age they at least provide us with some valuable insight into the power of belief and folk superstition even in a post Civil-War America.