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  St. Joseph Mission and Cemetery, Bertrand
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Ghost stories

Various ghost stories can be gathered from newspaper articles in the later 1800's and early 1900's.

A story concerning Mrs. Mary Higbee, a daughter of Joseph Bertrand, relates one such tale.
"A burying ground was established in the same grounds and to this day the church and cemetery which have passed out of use long since, are known as 'the haunted church yard.'  Tales of the shades of the early French traders and Indians wandering over the church yard and through the church are still heard and there are those who will testify that weird music has been heard distinctly at midnight."
-The Saint Joseph Daily Press, Nov. 13, 1914

Other more specific tales were shared in the South Bend Tribune on July 15, 1928:
"In days gone by there was a marked prevalence of supernatural stories in and about Bertrand.  Again the old church, from whose shattered walls the owls hooted, was peopled with worshipers and ghosts of the early settlers were conjured up by the kindling imagination of the dwindling population of the 'deserted village,' where 'there was a contagion in the very air that blew from that haunted churchyard; it breathed forth an atmosphere of dreams and fancies infecting all the land." 
The article goes on to relate the story of Mrs. Henry Lardner, the mother of Ring Lardner.  The story tells the tale of two young lovers who after a few years of marriage had decided to divorce.  The couple met one evening in the abandoned cemetery to talk things over.  The daylight quickly faded and as darkness fell they heard strange music and turned to see that lights were shining from the windows of the church building.  A ghostly troop of parishioners was seen entering the church and when the couple went to investigate, found that a Mass was being celebrated... by ghosts.  
The article states, "For lights were burning and the congregation of Indians and white people were joining in the worship in response to the pale priest who stood in unearthly beauty, attended by dusky acolytes, the young Indian converts, who had loved him.  Pastor and people, when they arose or kneeled, moved as shadows do."
At the conclusion of the Mass, the ghost priest turned to give the benediction, uttered the words "Dominus vobiscum" and the whole congregation disappeared leaving the young couple alone.  The story becomes a bit more confused at this point as it seems the bodies of the couple were found weeks later, along with the Native man Grey Eagle, who loved the young woman and had murdered the couple and took his own life.  Apparently all three were buried in the cemetery, although there are neither written records nor headstones for any of them.  I wonder if all of the witnesses of the phantom Mass died in this murder-suicide, who was it that related what they saw to others?  I suppose with stories like this it is best not to ask too many questions and just leave it at that.
The article concludes by telling the general fear of those living in the village at that time.
"This and many other stories are rife as to the alleged nature of the apparitions.  Not a resident of the old, dilapidated village will approach the churchyard after night sets in and even the unkempt youths of the hamlet give the cemetery a wide berth at all times.  On several occasions of late it is claimed 'Ghosts' have appeared before belated villagers, and as suddenly disappeared."
I wish that the example of the "unkempt youth" of Bertrand would have been followed by later-day vandals.

Yet another tale of mysterious lights at the abandoned mission speaks of the upset citizens of the community of Bertrand. "The old Catholic church in Bertrand village is and has been for some time a source of considerable perplexity to the good people over there, says the Niles Democrat.  At certain periods of more or less regularity mysterious lights are seen in the windows, sometimes appearing, according to the statements of various observers, as if a person with a lamp were roaming about the interior, and again all the windows are suffused with an indistinct glow that suggests anything but the light from a lamp within".  The author of the article, mentioning the residents of the graveyard whom he remarks, "...are all still comfortably dead", makes a rather unflattering remark concerning the state of Bertrand in 1890. "Even did anything rest heavily on their consciences, which would incline them to return from that bourn... it is beyond belief that they would care to see Bertrand again, so long as they have a wider range of travel."  Though many were frightened by these lights at the abandoned mission, two resolute citizens decided to settle the matter with an investigation. "Going nearer the building and facing it, they stood with their backs to a neighboring house, within one of whose windows stood a brightly burning lamp, the light from which shining on the church windows was reflected to the observer when standing at the proper angle.  The lamp in the house being removed the light in the church window vanished, and the two villagers went home satisfied.  Thus this ghost is laid." - South Bend Tribune, Nov. 8, 1890


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The Bertrand Curse

Joseph Bertrand caused a good deal of consternation among the settlers of the area in his desperate bid to make a fortune and make a great city out of the little town of Bertrand which, at the time, was larger in population than Chicago.  The hurt feelings of a lost fortune or the contempt for a dissolute land trader caused a curse to supposedly be uttered.  Who cursed the town of Bertrand?  The jury is still out on that one.  Depending on what account you read it was either an Indian chief defrauded of his lands or one of the local priests who was disgusted with Bertrand's business practices.
According to one article: "At the height of the prosperity of Bertrand a French priest made this prophecy: 'Bertrand will do down, down, down until its streets are plowed over, then it will rise again.'  Many of the streets are plowed over now, but there is no prospect of new life so far as human eye or knowledge can determine." - South Bend Tribune, Nov. 21, 1896
Another account states that the priest cursed Bertrand because it's owner would not welcome him and the curse was to last as long as anyone bearing the name "Bertrand" continued to live.  "Mr. Bertrand refused to  receive the priest, and it was at this time that the priest made the prophecy that the city of Bertrand would soon commence to decline, and would continue to do so until it would be no more.  he also said it would be a thing of the past as long as any one bearing the name of Bertrand should live." -The Weekly Palladium (Benton Harbor) May 25, 1900.
As time progressed, the legend changed and began to possibly include an Indian Chief instead of a priest.  A Tribune article from Aug. 4, 2000 states, "Legend has it that Bertrand was doomed by a curse placed on it by an Indian Chief defrauded of his land or by a priest who argued with Joseph Bertrand." 
​A current online publication from Bertrand Township eliminates the priest from the equation entirely and the "Indian Chief" becomes... well...: "A colorful tale in history attributes its decline to an Indian curse. The story is told that in the early 1830's an Indian was refused liquor at a local Inn and, in his rage, swore that….'South Bend will grow…Niles will grow…but Bertrand will die.' 

Joseph Bertrand's buried treasure

Besides ghosts and curses there is the legend of Joseph Bertrand's buried treasure, which would not have been located in the churchyard but in the orchard of his own home nearby.  An old Tribune article relates:
​"Those with a taste for the finding of hidden treasures may be interested in the belief of those qualified to know that a good half bushel of silver coins are buried near the site of the old Bertrand house.  The old trader had been the victim of a smart American, who through questionable means acquired the lards of the simple Frenchman but a large amount of money escaped seizure.  This Mr. Bertrand buried and then he immediately proceeded to forget the place of interment.  His wife once said to her daughter, Julia, 'There is money enough buried under an apple tree to make us all rich some day.'  If this ever comes to light whoever finds it will have the satisfaction of knowing that each coin will be worth its full value with no 16 to 1 about it."
​-The South Bend Tribune, Nov. 21, 1896


Thomas Flynn, Buried Thrice.

A strange story shared by a descendent of the many times reburied:

Considerable local feeling, especially among the Irish Catholic portion of the community has existed here for some time over the facts and rumors of the burial, resurrection and clandestine re-burial of the body of Thomas Flynn.  The affair has been talked about considerable of late and now that it is an open secret there can be no impropriety in tis mention as a matter of local news.  In August last, Thomas Flynn a resident of this city was killed by a railroad accident near the depot of the Central Road.  The deceased has been a member of the Catholic Church but for pecuniary and perhaps other dalliances had forfeited his membership in and failed to receive the last rites of the Church of his faith.  his burial in the Catholic cemetery near Bertrand was forbidden by the local priest, Father Cappan.  Nevertheless he was buried there by the side of two of his children.  The family, or those who had buried him, or both, were by the Priest, in church requested or ordered to remove him from the consecrated ground.  This they failed to do, and shortly the body was clandestinely disinterred, and Father Cappan was notified of the fact by means of an anonymous letter.  Naturally enough the brothers and other relatives of Flynn, although Catholics themselves, felt keenly this, to them, outrage.  Diligent search  had been made from time to time for the body, but not until Monday last was it discovered.  On Tuesday, the brother of the deceased, accompanied by Marshal Chambers and a few others repaired to the spot and found the body reburied about forty rods west of the Catholic cemetery and about two rods from the river.  The coffin was about a foot below the surface of the earth in an out of the way place, at the foot of a hill and across, or rather under, a cow path.  The body was removed by the relatives and moved to South Bend for reburial.  We have aimed above to give nothing but the facts, and to avoid any expression of opinion.... leaving that entirely to our readers.
-Niles Republican, May 22, 1873


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