Vampires, it seems, have been with us since earliest times. Belief in them has been based around a fear of the returning dead or of the influence that they can sometimes exert over the living. And vampires should certainly be feared in their own right. However, they are also products of the cultures that have fostered such beliefs. So there is no certain way of dealing with them as they are portrayed in films and stories. If our trip around America has taught us anything, it is that all vampires can be different and cannot be generally categorized or lumped together. The response to each one of them might be different, depending on the culture and belief system from which they come. Would a vampire from the Jewish sector of New York, for example, respond to the sight of a Christian crucifix? America, with its melting-pot of races, societies, and cultures, is a place where the vampires of such cultures can meld, change, and adapt. In a land where a number of different types of people have lived cheek by jowl with each other throughout the years, many have found their way into other forms of folklore and have been partly changed by them. Perhaps, then, no American vampire tale is completely straightforward, but contains a number of diverse elements from Native American to the various colonist. American vampire tales certainly deserve a closer examination—maybe an even closer look than it has been possible to do within the confines of this book. This has only scratched the surface of a deep and fascinating subject, and maybe much more waits to be uncovered.
Because, not only have they been with us since early times, but vampires have continued to both terrify and fascinate us in equal measure throughout the years. Maybe it is our fascination with death and what might lie beyond; maybe it is our fascination with living forever; maybe it is simply our fear of dying, but vampires have exercised a pull on our imagination throughout the generations. And this fearful interest shows no real sign of waning—vampires are as much at home in the 21st century (with the likes of Buffy, True Blood, and Twilight—and film and television producers are always looking for new angles to take the concepts further into the future). And they seem to be everywhere, not just in crumbling old castles in faraway Transylvania or forgotten graveyards in Serbia. They are lurking in many places in the United States of America, maybe even in your town!
So when you go out tonight, whether you live on a rural road or near the heart of a bustling town, take a look around you, beyond the furthest streetlight. Look carefully at the point where the friendly light turns to the darkest shadow. See that movement? You never know what might be lurking there! Maybe something with fangs! Maybe something equally as dangerous and not what you quite expect!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Allison, A. Lynn. “Navajo Witch Purge of 1878.” West Literary Magazine. May 2001.
Evans-Wentz, W.Y. Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries. New York: Oxford University Press, 1911.
Gilbertson, R.B. A Frontier Land. New York, 1923.
Jones, Reverend Edmund. A Relation of Apparitions of Spirits in the Principality of Wales. Cowbridge, UK: D. Brown & Sons Ltd., 1780.
Kelleher, Dr. Colm A. Hunt for the Skinwalker. New York: Paraview Pocket Books, 2005.
Letherbarrow, Mary. Folklore of Herefordshire. Battsford, 1955.
Ley, William. Salamanders and Other Wonders. New York: The Viking Press, 1955.
Mayer, Johannes. Tuefelbushen. 1690.
Osborn, Chase. Madagascar, Land of the Man-Eating Tree. London: Republic Publishing Company, 1924
Skinner, Charles M. Myths and Legends of Our Own Land. Whitefish, Mont.: Kennsinger Publishing, LLC, 1896.
Stetson, George R. “The Animistic Vampire in New England.” The American Anthropologist. A9 (1896): 1–13.
Trewhitt, Frank G. “Ghost Tales from Bradley County.” TN Folklore Soc. Bull. 29 (1963): 10–12.
INDEX
Albania, 14, 135, 143, 145
Albemarle, 32
alp, 63
Appalousa, 58
Aswang, 9
batata, 166
Bermuda, 45
Black Constable, the, 49–51, 116
Black Neil, 136–137
Black Peter, 63
Blackbeard, 120
Blade, 7
Blessed Dead, the, 10, 199, 236
Bloch, Robert, 51
bloedzuiger, 81
blutsauger, 62
boo-daddy, 51–56, 179
boo-hag, 51–56
Bori, 63–64
Broutin, Ignace Francois, 68
Brown, Mercy, 97–98
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 7, 242
Bulgaria, 8, 145
Burton family, 86–90, 96
Butler, Colonel Richard, 76–77
Caddo, 58
Cavalier, Rene-Robert, 58
Chairs, Odom, 21, 21, 24
Charleston, 17, 20–25, 44, 47, 49, 116
Cherokee, 34–36, 38–42, 82, 201, 228
Chitimacha, 58
chupacabra, 190–194
Clingman, Col. Thomas Lanier, 40
Clingman’s Dome, 40, 41
Cold Mountain, 40
Collinwood, 153–154
corpse candle, 165, 169, 177
Croker, Thomas Crofton, 8
Crow, Dr., 154–155
Cussing Coverlet, the, 26–28
Dandridge, Jeremiah, 95–96
Dark Day, 84–85, 132
de Narvaez, Panfilo, 58
de Soto, Hernando, 82, 217, 220
deformity, and vampires, 55, 145–158, 239–240
Destrehan family, 73–76
Devil’s Courthouse, the, 35, 38
Dimmensdr sisters, 108–114
disease, and vampires, 12, 13, 23, 30, 32, 62, 65, 69, 70, 77, 78, 83–86, 89, 98, 114, 115, 119, 120, 132, 151, 152, 170, 185, 194, 236, 241
Dogtown, 119, 122–123, 133–137, 139–142, 236, 240
Domingo, John, 49, 51, 55, 116
Dr. Buzzard, 49
Dracula, 11, 12, 97, 105, 166, 236, 240
Dyer, Dr. Isadore, 77–78
Eaton, Allen, 18
England, 11, 30, 32, 43, 45, 65, 83, 121, 122, 145, 147, 148, 162–165, 236, 239
fairies, 62
Famine Wells, 29, 31, 33, 36–42
fee, 62–63
Fenn, Moses, 34–35
feufollet, 73, 79
folklore,
African, 9, 11, 48–49, 51–52, 55, 61, 63–64, 68–69, 72, 74–75, 78, 98, 143, 237
Albanian, 14, 135, 143, 145
Brazilian, 143, 166
Czech, 200
Dutch, 49, 63, 104–108, 117–118
German, 8, 62–63, 65–66, 73, 8–81, 105, 108, 135, 138, 200
Greek, 8, 200, 237
Irish, 10, 11, 25, 29, 30–31, 33, 38, 65, 164, 201
Native American, 15, 33, 35–36, 38–42, 83, 164, 167–168, 176, 180–198, 201–211, 220–223, 228–231, 240
Romanian, 9, 12, 145, 239
Scottish, 12, 31, 33, 38
fugo fatuo, 166
garulf, 72
Gatlinburg, 18, 25
Gore Orphanage Road, 150–152, 155–156
Granny Bacon, 27–28
graves, and vampires, 9, 10, 14, 24, 30, 56, 63, 65–66, 68–70, 72, 78–79, 84, 88, 90–92, 96–99, 104–106, 116, 118, 120, 129, 130, 135, 145, 151, 155, 157, 170, 175, 187, 199, 201, 228, 236, 238, 243
Greer, Al, 212–213
Grier, David, 33–34
Gullah, the, 44, 48, 49, 51, 52, 55, 56, 136
Hag, 48
Hampton Plantation, 47
hauntings,
and cemeteries, 173
and cities, 70, 78
and houses, 151
and plantations, 47, 73–74
Hepworth, Thomas, 45
Hiawasee River, 23, 24
Higgins, Holland, 34
Hungry Grass, 30–31
hydrocephalus, 146–147, 156
incubi, 8
Ireland, 10, 11, 25, 29–31, 33, 38, 65, 76, 83, 164, 201, 238, 253
Irish Folklore Commission, 25
Jacobs, Molly, 136–137
jaracaca, 143
Judaculla, 35, 38, 39
Junipero, Fray, 207–209
Knox, Lillie, 55–56
Kydd, Captain William, 120, 137
Laurens, Henry, 44
Le Grand Bissetre, 61, 63, 73
lights, supernatural, 50, 55, 101, 131, 136, 160–161, 163–177, 179, 182, 185, 191–196
Litchfield Plantation, 45
lobishomen, 143
loup garou, 72
Lovecraft, H.P., 51, 101–103, 214
Low Country, 43–45, 48, 49, 55
Luz Mala, 166–167
Lynch, Thomas, 47
Malaya, 9
Mbae-Tata, 166
Mead, Timothy, 88–89
Melon Heads, 147–158, 194, 234, 240
Merrie, Kael, 107–108
Mexico, 9, 58, 78, 194, 205, 207
Mississippi River, the, 40, 58, 59, 70, 78, 159, 162, 164
Mohawk, 104
Mount Craig, 40
Mount Mitchell, 40
Murphy, Michael J., 25
nacht ruprecht, 63
nachtmerrie, 63, 105–118, 237, 240
nachtzehrer, 62
Narragansett, 81
Navajo, 180–198
nepenthes rajah plant, 214
neuntoter, 63
New Orleans, 7, 15, 59, 60, 62, 65, 66, 68–74, 76–78
nightmare, etymology of, 8–9
nightmares, 27, 30, 65, 69, 80, 92, 95, 105, 106, 108, 145
Nunnehi, 35
Odom brothers, the, 18, 23, 24
odom chairs, 20, 21, 24
Old Handsome, 72–73
Old Ruth, 135–136
Ormond plantation, 76–77
Oswald, Richard, 44
Ownby, Mary, 18
Pawley’s Island, 45
Peachtree Plantation, 47
Penanggalan, 9
Philippines, 9
Pine Island, 43
plantations, and hauntings, 47, 51, 73–74
plat-eye, 51, 55
Raleigh, Sir Walter, 29, 31
Rhines, Judy, 136–137
Rice Kings, the, 44, 47
Rice, Anne, 57, 65, 66, 76, 77, 236
Robinson, Dr. Stephany, 49
Romania, 9, 12, 81, 145, 239
Ross, Eli, 40
Routledge, John Henry, 47
Russia, 8, 12, 98
sampiro, 14, 135, 143, 145
Scotland, 12, 31, 33, 38, 253
shapeshifting, 54, 185, 190
shroudeater, 62, 135
Skinner, Charles M., 103
skinwalker, 179–198
Slagle family, 170–173
Sobel, Dr. Joseph, 27
South Africa, 9, 11, 143
South America, 9, 11, 166, 213, 215, 240
Spearfinger, 35
Staples family, 90–93
Stoker, Bram, 11, 97, 105, 166, 240
succubi, 8
swamp devils, 48
swamps, and vampires, 33, 43, 48–49, 51–56, 57, 62–64, 70–73, 78–79, 83
Tillinghast family, 93–97
Transylvania, 7, 243
Trewhitt, Frank G., 23
Tryntjen family, 114–115
Tunica, 58
Turkey, 14, 145
Twilight, 7, 242
ulagu, 201
Vampire of Annandale, 12–13
vampire, etymology of, 8
vampires,
and deformity, 55, 145–158, 239–240
and disease, 12, 13, 23, 30, 32, 62, 65, 69, 70, 77, 78, 83–86, 89, 98, 114, 115, 119, 120, 132, 151, 152, 170, 185, 194, 236, 241
and graves, 9, 10, 14, 24, 30, 56, 63, 65–66, 68–70, 72, 78–79, 84, 88, 90–92, 96–99, 104–106, 116, 118, 120, 129, 130, 135, 145, 151, 155, 157, 170, 175, 187, 199, 201, 228, 236, 238, 243
and swamps, 33, 43, 48–49, 51–56, 57, 62–64, 70–73, 78–79, 83
vampiric little people, 220–224, 226–234
vampiric objects, 24–28
vampiric plants, 199–202, 204–216
Van Helsing, Abraham, 105
Vance, Col. David, 34,
Vaughan, Nellie Louise, 98–100
Wallace, Ira, 39
Wampanoag, 81, 122, 123
Whiteside Mountain, 35, 38–40
Will-o-the-Wisp, 73
witchcraft,
practice of, 117, 120, 137–142, 157, 179–186, 196–198, 237, 240
trials for, 106–116, 123, 181–182, 186–189
witches, 13, 21–27, 35, 51–55, 64, 72, 74, 82, 133, 135–142, 160, 163, 167, 180–186, 192, 194, 196–198, 237, 240
woman from Hiwassee, the, 17, 21–24
yarb lady, 22
Younger, Tammy, 137, 139–140
Yugoslavia, 8
Zwarte Piet, 63
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Bob Curran was born in a remote area of County Down, Northern Ireland. The area in which he grew up was rich in folklore—especially the folklore of the supernatural—and this gave him an ear for and an interest in the tales and beliefs of many people. He worked a number of jobs before going to University, where he received a doctorate in child psychology. Even so, his interest in folklore and folk culture was still very much to the fore, and this prompted him to write a number of books on the subject, including Celtic Lord and Legend; Vampires; Werewolves; Zombies, and Lost Lands, Forgotten Realms. Having taken a degree in history, he now lectures and broadcasts on matters of historical interest, and acts as advisor to a number of influential cultural bodies in Northern Ireland. Most recently he has been working on advisory bodies regarding cultural links between Northern Ireland and the West of Scotland. He currently lives in Northern Ireland with his wife and young family.
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