The Historian Owes The Dead Nothing But The Truth

The title of this blog post, "The Historian Owes the Dead Nothing but the Truth," was coined by Jean Baptiste John Delambre in the 18th Century. I have lived by that saying since the first time I read those words back when I was still in school. 

So it really bothers me when people who claim to be sharing facts or history with the world uses the word "truth," so lightly. 

On October 17, 2023 an article appeared online regarding the "Conjuring House."

https://wbsm.com/andrea-perron-conjuring-house-alley-theatre/

What struck me was the wording within the piece where the writer, Maddie Levine mentioned that the "fans of the incredibly true story will have a chance to listen to Perron’s point of view." 

Then Ms. Levine quotes Ms. Perron saying: “In this world in which we live, it’s always important to tell the truth.”  

Really, Andrea?  Let's talk about the truth!

That's twice the word "true or truth" is mentioned in that article, and yet in reality there is no truth to the backstories that Ms. Perron has spread about that house, or Bathsheba Sherman in her books and interviews over the years.

As a true history lover, I agree that it's important to tell the truth. In fact, it is imperative. That is why I am writing this blog post today. 

Now, I am not going to argue whether or not the Perron family experienced something paranormal in that house. That is not for me to say one way or the other. I have my own theories about that which I am not going to delve into today.

However, the fact is that Ms. Perron has pushed a sensationalized and fabricated story for too many years regarding the history of the home as well as the background of Bathsheba Sherman, whom her 1st book portrays her to be a witch, baby killer and devil worshipper who hanged herself and whose spirit tormented her and her family at the home on Round Top Road.  None of which has any truth to it. 

(If you want quotes from the book, I can list them) 

***DISCLAIMER: I have posted the quotes below under the protection of the FAIR USE LAW as a critical review in order to educate the public of the false information that has been published under the pretense of being factual. ***

 - Quotes from "House of Darkness, House of Light." that are FALSE! --  

In the book Andrea claims that, "Bathsheba was an Arnold and she’d lived on the Arnold Estate at that age so there was every indication to believe the event occurred in Carolyn’s own home. There would come several psychics who assured her of this over time.”--- Page 298 (Kindle version) “House of Light, House of Darkness” Volume I, Andrea Perron.

In reality though, Bathsheba was not an Arnold, and she never worked or lived on the farm. There was no "event" that took place involving Bathsheba, either. 

She goes on to make statements such as, “Bathsheba either escaped the mortal rule of law in a courtroom or she was quite rightfully acquitted.” – Page 299 (Kindle version)

Again, there was never any sort of accusations of any wrongdoing involving Bathsheba whatsoever in her lifetime. There were no court hearings, no inquests, nothing. That is a farce made up by someone's over active imagination in the 1970's and not any time earlier than that.

As you read on in her book, you see her insinuations such as: “Was the young woman accused of impaling the skull of a baby with a needle the same old woman haunting the threatening and chanting incantations in the night? There is no written history of the life of Bathsheba Sherman, save what records remain of her inquest regarding the death of an infant. " Page 319 (Kindle version)

Again, there was never any sort of incident of a woman or a person impaling a baby's skull with a needle, nor were there ever any sort of rumors of witchcraft. This is all superstitious nonsense that became almost a hysteria during the time of the "Satanic Panic," which began in the late 1960s and well into the 1970s.

As she goes on in her book she brings up this so-called historian that no one has ever heard of. If there was such a person, there would be many records of this person's research, but interestingly, no one seems to know who this person is....“According to the town historian, her inquest was infamous, drawing hoards (SIC) of interested spectators from many miles away……… there were those who thought she should be burned at the stake, those at the time who proclaimed her a witch, accused of performing a satanic ritual, resulting in the sacrifice of an infant.”  --Page 298, Kindle version, Volume I.

There was no inquest. There were no groups of people coming from miles to see this non-existent event that never took place. Also, mentioning the act of burning someone at the stake was a very antiquated idea. People hadn't been "burned at the stake," for well over a hundred years before Bathsheba Sherman was even born. No one in the mid-to-late 19th century would have even thought of such a thing. That is the author's imagination again putting ideas out there that are just ridiculous. 

She refers to Bathsheba as “A God-forsaken Soul," and that "it was easy for some to believe she was evil."…..—Page 324, Kindle version, Volume I.She adds that  people "said she was a witch, exclaiming her actions those of an evil temptress, a child used as lamb in a sadistic ritual, a sacrifice made; a deal struck with the devil…in exchange for preserving her youth and beauty for eternity.”—page 324, Kindle version, Volume I.

The last quote I will mention today is a very wordy statement which cannot be backed up by factual documentation when she states: "Bathsheba Sherman may have been able to evade a conviction but not the blame game in life; then was apparently held accountable on some level after death. At least this was the assumption made by many, at that time and since. Town elders still spoke of her with contemptuous condemnation; a blight on the spirit of the village….. According to many, past and present, Bathsheba Sherman was the guilty party who walked away from a heinous accusation free of charge; free as a bird. Some would argue the point.”—page 375, Kindle Version.

Town elders? Again, are we in the 1600 and 1700s? No. We are not. 

There were no townspeople talking about Bathsheba at any point in time until the story sprang up out of thin air in the 1970s. Period. 

Bathsheba was an innocent woman who was slandered posthumously and it is about time that her name be cleared and those who continue to push the false narrative about her be held accountable. The facts of the matter are that in order to have an inquest an incident must have taken place. No such incidents took place, and no such "inquests" existed, because it was all a fabricated story.  Also, Bathsheba Sherman was NOT related to the Arnold family, which is a huge part of the story as well since Ms. Perron claimed that Bathsheba lived and worked on the farm but that simply isn't true.  

Again, none of Ms. Perron's statements made within these excerpts from her book can be backed up by any factual documents. I have spoken to many people from Burrillville who are very mad that this lie has snowballed into a world-wide sensation, all based on a fabricated story, NOT history. There is no record whatsoever of this town historian she always brings up. Honestly I don't think this person ever existed.  

I find it very interesting that there are no McKeachern’s listed in any records in the area of Harrisville or Burrillville, Rhode Island. 

There was a family known as the McEachern’s  (Lawrence and Minnie) who were residents of Providence, Rhode Island, and members of the Union Providence Baptist Church. Although Lawrence would have been 11 years old at the time of Bathsheba's death, he couldn't be the one who spoke to Carolyn Perron because he died long before the Perron family had moved to town.  

The history of the house and of Bathsheba Sherman that Ms. Perron has claimed in her books and interviews are not true. 

How can someone claim that the truth is so important when that very same person published a book with false information within it? 

I have been trying to clear up all of this nonsense and expose this false history for the past 9 years so that the world will know the true history of both the home as well as the innocence of Bathsheba Sherman.As you can see, I believe in sharing the truth, and I do not dare to advance what is false.  The historian owes the dead nothing but the truth, and I stand by that wholeheartedly. Keep reading this blog, as I unveil the truth behind this whole mess we all know now as "The Conjuring." -- Stay tuned!

(J'aime Rubio COPYRIGHT 10/17/2023)