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Get ready for a chilling conversation! Join Jennie and Dianne as they chat with author Sharon Pajka, PhD, about her new book "Haunted Virginia Cemeteries". As we creep into spooky season, Sharon guides us through the Old Dominion's most haunted burial grounds, from Arlington Cemetery's eerie atmosphere to the ghostly apparitions at Monticello. But don't let the paranormal tales fool you - this book is also a deep dive into Virginia's rich history, and Sharon shares her expertise on the historical research that brings these haunted places to life. Tune in for a conversation that's equal parts spooky and scholarly!

View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/i-6NvYigZBw

Purchase Haunted Virginia Cemeteries (The History Press: Haunted America) Here: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/products/9781467157209/ Use Code: SHARON9 for 15% off your entire order!

Keep up with Sharon's events and tours by visiting her website: https://www.sharonpajka.com/

or visit her on social media at: https://www.facebook.com/PajkaWrites/ & https://www.facebook.com/RiverCityCemetarians/

Purchase tickets for the 36th annual Central City Cemetery Crawl here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gilpin-historical-society-36th-annual-cemetery-crawl-tickets-1435390223799?aff=oddtdtcreator

Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie, or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com

Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email.

On this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast, uncover the mystery behind Dr. Samuel Bean's cryptic monument in Wellesley, Ontario, where two of his wives, Henrietta and Susanna, rest in peace. Jennie and Dianne explore the Ordinary Extraordinary life of Samuel, a Civil War veteran and puzzle enthusiast, and the intricate cryptogram headstone that kept visitors guessing for 80 years. What secrets did Samuel hide in the stone, and what message did he want the world to know?

View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xW15IiUlEUg?si=UOzm0omaHFywSlrv

Purchase tickets for the 36th annual Central City Cemetery Crawl here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gilpin-historical-society-36th-annual-cemetery-crawl-tickets-1435390223799?aff=oddtdtcreator

Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie, or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com

Resources used to research this episode include:

, BirdDog1959. "Cryptic Headstone Puzzles Visitors ." https://ancestrybirddog.wordpress.com/. 12 July 2001. ancestrybirddog.wordpress.com/2021/07/12/cryptic-headstone-puzzles-visitors/. Accessed 20 July 2025.

, Wellesley Township Heritage & Historical Society . "https://www.wellesleyhistory.org/settlement-patterns-of-wellesley-townshiip.html." https://www.wellesleyhistory.org/. www.wellesleyhistory.org/settlement-patterns-of-wellesley-townshiip.html. Accessed 20 July 2025.

Hayden, Martha. "A Grave With A Secret Code." https://www.restless-viking.com/. 30 Jan. 2024. www.restless-viking.com/2024/01/30/a-grave-with-a-secret-code/. Accessed 20 July 2025.

Campbell , Tim. "Henrietta Furry Bean ." https://www.findagrave.com/. 15 May 2010. www.findagrave.com/memorial/52428366/henrietta-bean. Accessed 20 July 2025.

Barwick, Susan. "Rev Samuel G “Sam” Bean ." https://www.findagrave.com/. 27 Feb. 2013. www.findagrave.com/memorial/105902136/samuel_g-bean. Accessed 20 July 2025.

Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email.

Join the dynamic trio—Jennie, Dianne, and Ryan Seidemann—for the third chapter of the “Death and Dying 101” series! This episode dives into global memorials, uncovering cultural quirks and mysteries. Are catacombs serene sanctuaries or lively public spaces? Unravel the Victorian dread of premature burial and the coffin bells that chimed in the night. Explore the collision of burial and cremation in our global village. Delve into the Ordinary Extraordinary Tibetan tradition of letting nature reclaim the body. Learn how enslavement shaped African burial customs across the Americas. All this and more on this latest episode of The Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast.

View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FoBaByzbkCY

To learn more about the 19 who were returned to be honored by their descendants, check out the following links:

1. https://www.dillard.edu/about/honoring-the-nineteen/

2. https://vimeo.com/event/5154230

Purchase tickets for the 36th annual Central City Cemetery Crawl here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gilpin-historical-society-36th-annual-cemetery-crawl-tickets-1435390223799?aff=oddtdtcreator

Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie, or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com