The True Story of The Violent Surrency Poltergeist

On Oct 18, 1872, around 9pm Allen Powell Surrency arrived home on his farm in Georgia to find a bewildered family and friends. Mr. Surrency was shocked to learn a series of inexplicable events had just been occurring around the house. Objects had been levitating, dishes were flying across the room, vases fell to floor. All of this was occurring seemingly by itself with no apparent source. Initially, Allen couldn’t believe it. However, very soon the paranormal activity would restart, and Allan and his family would experience years of what would be destructive and often violent paranormal activity. In this post, we will examine the Surrency Poltergeist. 

The night of October 18th, shortly before Allen arrived home, his daughter, Clementine was waiting by the train for Allen. That day the trains were running late, and it began getting dark out. As she stared down the dark train path, she caught a glimpse of strange, creepy tall man. Scared she hustled home and eventually as she reached it, small stones began landing near her. It seemed someone was throwing stones at her, yet no one was around. She went inside and several of her father’s friends were waiting for him. She didn’t say anything about the stones or the man and headed into the kitchen. 

As she walked in, Clementine would hear stones hitting the house. She told her mother what had happened, and her mother instructed the men to head outside and look for the culprit. The men went outside, but no one was anywhere to be found. 

As the men came in, the strange paranormal activity began occurring inside the house, initially beginning in the kitchen and then spreading to ither parts of the home. 

The night of October 18th, the paranormal activity would continue throughout the night, and would cease up the morning of Oct 19. However, things were just beginning. 

October 18th was the date the family realized something abnormal was occurring. However, earlier in the year, the strange activity appeared to start in the summer with Allen’s wife. 

One day Allen’s wife was sewing when she began hearing a noise. As she looked up, she saw a pitcher rocking back and forth. No one was around. Then the pitcher levitated and then poured the water out and flew to the ground and breaking. 

On another occasion, Allen’s wife was eating with her children when the door closed very slowly. Allen’s wife said quietly “That was done by the wind”. 

Then the door flung open, and two windows opened and began raising and lowering by themselves. 

While these incidents occurred early on, the November events would draw the attention of everyone. 

On the afternoon of November 19th, the paranormal activity would restart and soon neighbors would come over and witness the haunting. Skeptics were quickly converted to believers as they saw things such as clothes and shoes being thrown around. 

Soon, the press got hold of the story and reporters flocked to the house. As time progressed more reporters came, many from overseas and up north. On one occasion, a pint glass flew between a reporter and one of Mr. Surrency’s daughter who were having a conversation. 

Several investigative reporters showed up and Mr. Surrency told them a story of a clock. The hands began spinning super quickly and that the clock would chime thirteen times. 

More and more people would come to the home and eventually the train station nearby would have a designated stop for people wanting to go to the Surrency’s farm. 

It’s said hundreds of people witnessed the activity with some having investigative backgrounds. 

The entity wasn’t violent early on, but eventually several incidents occurred. On one occasion one of Mr. Surrency’s son was sleeping, and an iron was dropped on his back. At the time, the iron was in the cellar and somehow ended upstairs. Also, one of the servants was walking with a baby and got hit in the back by a glass bottle. 

Fed up with the activity, the family attempted to stay with their neighbors, the Patterson’s. The paranormal activity continued there though, and the family would leave quickly. 

The Poltergeist that inspired the Poltergeist movie- read here

In February 1873, things would take a turn for the worst. Allen’s son, John, walked into the dining hall and his older brother was sitting by a fire. Then one of the heavy iron andirons began to levitate. It smashed his brother in the head, knocking him to the ground. His brother got up bleeding and dazed, and the andiron went to hit him again. John attempted to stop it but was overpowered. His brother took off running, but the Andiron pursued him and knocked him out. 

The next day the family moved to their other house on the property and achieved peace for about ten days. Then the activity would start at the other home. In time the family would have to abandon both homes and move across the county. 

Years later in 1877, Allen died. This is when the haunting appears to have stopped. 

In 1925, the original home was burned to the ground.

Over the years many theories and questions have been raised with this case. 

This haunting has been said to be an extremely well documented case. However, our research finds a variety of inconsistencies in various reports and sources. For example, some sources say voices were never heard, while others say laughter could be heard. Also, with so many reporters entering the house, some of the stories were found to be false. For example, one involves a pig appearing out of nowhere in the dining room. 

The Bridgeport Poltergeist

To us, the events around the home were typical of poltergeist activity. The entity never manifested, other than the red eyes, but disturbances were nonstop and lasted for years. 

Much of the activity involved objects being destroyed, being thrown or levitating. The entity also followed the family from home to home, which is what happens in most poltergeist cases. The poltergeist haunts the individual, not the place. 

This raised the question who was the subject of the haunting? 

While much speculation has occurred over the cause of the hauntings, in 1905 a reporter interviewed John Surrency, then around age 50. John revealed he believed his mother was the source. As mentioned earlier, she appeared to experience the first events. It should be said though that usually teenage girls are usually the subjects in poltergeist hauntings.

The Fire Poltergeist

One other question is why this haunting occurred? 

The family had lived in the home for nearly twenty years with no activity. Some suggest the home was haunted because of something like Indian Burial Grounds, ley lines or ancient wars that occurred on the grounds. 

We suspect something different might be causing this. 

In late 1864, General Sherman marched to the sea during the civil war imposing his “Scorched Earth” policies. His tactics were brutal, burning everything in sight and sometimes even burning homes with citizens inside. There are countless stories of ghosts of Civil War soldiers appearing in full uniform in present day. It’s possible somehow the entity might be linked to the death and destruction that occurred in the civil war.

The home of the Surgency’s appears near Sherman’s path but doesn’t seem to be directly in the path. Still, it is only 85 miles from Savannah, where Sherman’s march ended. It’s reasonable to assume somehow this could be connected. 

The grey man of Charleston, SC- read here

Perhaps in time more info will come out on this destructive entity.