The Daniel Benton Homestead
Photo taken from enfieldghosthunters.com
The Daniel Benton Homestead is on Metclaf Road in Tolland, Connecticut. It is a colonial house that was built in 1720 in a very calm and pretty setting. The original owner of the house was Daniel Benton and he had three grandsons that went to go and fight in the Revolutionary War as soldiers. Two of them died in battle, while the other contracted small pox as a Prisoner of War.
The son who had contracted the smallpox was named Elisha Benton. He was sent back home to Connecticut to his loved one Jemima. Jemima Barrows had been promised by Elisha before he went off to war that they were going to marry each other one day. Jemima took care of Elisha the best she could, but it wasn’t enough. Elisha died shortly after returning home, and since Jemima tried to take care of him she too caught the disease and died shortly before her 18th birthday.
Both Elisha and Jemima are buried on the property. However, since they were not married it wasn’t allowed for them to be buried next to each other. Therefore, they are buried on opposites ends of the property. Some people suggest that this made their spirits restless, and are now roaming the house looking for each other’s resting place. The house was turned into a museum once the Tolland Historical Society took over the site.
Since then, people have noticed a shadowy figure walk past the room where both Elisha and Jemima died. Also, people report unexplained loud noises and weeping that seemingly comes from no where.
(Source: Belanger, Jeff. Encyclopedia of Haunted Places. 2005.)
