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 PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 

  Every Wednesday, I will post a report of paranormal activity at a location accessible to ghost hunters. These reports will include specific location, historical background information, witness reports, and audio and image evidence that may enable you to experience paranormal activity. 

San Francisco on the Mississippi

San Francisco Plantation

2646 River Road

Garyville 70051-0950

www.sanfranciscoplantation.org

   Charles Marmillion was born into a world of wealth and privilege, but he was no stranger to tragedy. In 1856, at the age of 16, he lost his father, Edmond Bozonier Marmillion. His passing was made even sadder as the patriarch had only recently completed construction of a grand mansion on the river, Marmillion Plantation. His dreams of a happy, growing family, flourishing within the spectacular 11,000 square foot house, died with him.

   Charles barely attained manhood when he was pressed into service during the Civil War. Working his way upward through the ranks, he became a captain in the Confederate Army and fought in four major battles, including Gettysburg. He was captured and escaped only to be captured again and imprisoned for two years. Sometime during the war, his legs were injured. After the war, he returned home, taking up residence with his brother, Valsin and his German wife, Louise, (pictures below) in the grand mansion his father had built.

   Valsin renamed the place after Louise nearly bankrupted him with remodeling costs. He told his friends he was "sans fruschin," meaning he was "without a penny in my pocket." Over the years, people in the region altered the phrase to St. Frusquin. When the place was purchased in 1879 by Achille D. Bourgere, the name was changed to San Francisco.

   Charles and his brother saved the plantation from a post-war economy that ruined many plantations along the river. By 1870, they had achieved some success in the sugar business, and the future of the plantation appeared to be assured. But in 1871, Valsin died at the age of 44. Charles did his best to carry on the business with Valsin's widow and helped care for his brother's three young daughters. Chronic pain and weakness in his legs, and some kind of lung disease, possibly due to his habit of smoking cigars, disabled him to a great extent and contributed to his death in 1875 at the age of 35 years.

   Realizing that she could not maintain the plantation without Charles, Louise Marmillion sold the 1,500 acre estate in 1879 and returned to her native Germany with her three daughters. She left behind two girls, who died before the age of two, in graves covered with flowers. One of the girls died after falling down the stairs.

   With this long history of struggling against monumental events, and dying at an early age, it is no wonder that the ghost of Charles Marmillion still roams his beloved home. Ghost hunters and psychics working with the I. S. P. I. verified his presence. They encountered a man in his mid-thirties who smoked cigars and suffered from a chronic respiratory illness. This entity wore a long coat, and had reddish-brown hair and a mustache. Their description matched photographs of Charles Marmillion. He was desperately ill, coughing, and saddened that Sans Fruschin would be left without a Marmillion to keep Edmond Bozonier's dream alive.

   This ghost was found in Charles’ main-floor office, in one of the bedrooms, and in the dining room. A recent visit by the author produced similar impressions. He detected a male presence in the bedroom.

   Other ghosts have been seen at this showboat gothic plantation house. Some have spotted two little girls dressed in white, playing under the trees and having tea parties on the lawn. It is believed that they are the daughters of Valsin and Louise Marmillion.

   In a second-floor bedroom, the ghost of a little girl has been found suffering from a serious illness. Sensitive ghost hunters have encountered a second male presence there, and on the first floor. This may be Edmond Bozonier Marmillion enjoying the comforts of the house that was completed only days before his death.

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 If you have a ghost story to share, send it to Jeff Dwyer at Ghosthunter@jeffdwyer.com