The White Oaks Ghost

While some ghosts are victims of tragedy and spend eternity seeking revenge that will never come, some ghosts do achieve their goal and then are able to rest at peace. This week we tell the tale of one such ghost and the determination to keep a promise.

The White Oak house in Myers Park, Charlotte, NC is a beautiful mansion. With 52 rooms it's colonial architecture is a site to behold. Once the home of James Buchanan Duke, it was soon bought by a man named Jon Avery. And with Avery is where our story begins.

Not a lot is known of Avery before he purchased White Oak. What is known is that he bought the home hoping to live out the rest of his life in peace with his wife Mary. Unfortunately, fate was against Avery from the very beginning. Soon after moving into White Oak, Mary began to exhibit symptoms of mental illness. After several years Jon broke down and committed Mary to a hospital where she would get the help she needed. At first Jon visited often, making sure Mary was comfortable. However he came to the conclusion that she would never again know who he was and so he kissed her on the cheek and left her side for the last time.

About the time Jon left his wife a reporter came to White Oak to do a story on the house. As she stroll through the gardens and around the fountains Jon met her for an interview. Jon was shocked at how much he liked her and more so when he heard himself ask her to dinner. She felt the same way about Jon so she accepted.

The romance grew quickly and both of them were madly in love. But in time the truth became clear. The stares for the townsfolk were ice cold. After all, Jon Avery's wife was still alive. So his love told Jon that while she loved him, they could never have a life together. Heartbroken again, Jon understood and said goodbye. But before he let her leave, he made her promise to come back one year from then at ten minutes to midnight to meet him in the gardens. "Dead or alive, be here." Jon said.

She agreed and left. One year to the day she waited in the circle garden for Jon. As midnight came she wondered if Jon was going to show. Then she heard his footsteps on the marble walkway. Much had changed in the year. She was engaged to another man, but couldn't deny her promise to Jon. They lingered in the garden and before parting agreed to meet again the next year at 10 to midnight.

The next year the reporter brought a friend with her. Maybe because she no longer loved Jon and wanted to break it off with him, or maybe because she did not trust herself with Jon. Either way, as midnight approached, there was no sign of her love. Then, at the stroke of midnight, she heard his footsteps. As he drew nearer, she could tell something was wrong. He was hunched over and had a pained expression on his face.

She reached out to hug him but was stunned when he passed right through her. Although he didn't speak, she heard his words in her head "Dead or alive". Jon then vanished in front of her eyes. Later she learned Jon had died only a few weeks before. His dying words were "Dead or alive, will I make it?".

Sine Jon had shown devotion to her, she showed the same to him and returned to White Oak the following year. At 10 'til midnight the ghost appeared again and again walked through his love this time whispering "Goodbye".

The reporter never returned to White Oak. Her heart couldn't take breaking every year. Jon Avery's ghost has not been seen since. Maybe because his mission accomplished, he was able to rest in peace.