St. Omer Cemetery — Caroline Barnes Monument
Ashmore, Illinois, United States
Cemetery · local-legend
The Story
An impossible date and an unusual stone orb made Caroline Barnes’s grave one of Illinois’s more unusual rural cemetery legends.
The Hauntings
Caroline Barnes’s monument is locally called the Witch’s Grave, largely because the date appears to read February 31, 1882 and the stone features an orb-like finial. Tales say the strange date marks a witch’s death, and some describe a strange glow above the grave or cameras refusing to work nearby. These are explanations built around an odd inscription and monument, not grounds to claim Barnes was executed or practiced witchcraft. The story is firmly attached to this one cemetery rather than to a fictional house somewhere in the county.
The History
St. Omer is a small rural cemetery north of Ashmore. The Village of Ashmore lists the unusual grave as a local attraction.
A sense of place.
Visitor Experiences
Have you experienced something here?
This future chapter will bring together stories from the PHASM community. An unexpected encounter, a lingering feeling, or a quiet visit—your experience will be welcome.
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Sources & further reading.
Plan Your Visit
The Village of Ashmore points visitors toward Omer Cemetery from Oakland Road, but no official gate-hour schedule was established. Visit only when access is lawful, do not attempt nighttime rituals, and never alter the marker or its decorative stone.