Overnight Paranormal Investigation at
The 1899 Bolton St House
Jacksonville, Tx
Cost: $350 Sunday-Thursday
$400 Friday-Saturday
The cost is per night with up to 10 guests. Each additional guest over 10 is an additional $40
per guest all weekdays and weekends.
Refund Policy:
Your booking is non-refundable. If there is a weather event preventing you from your overnight,
a new date may be scheduled if open.
Now, that we have that out of the way…
ABOUT THE HOUSEThis beautiful Victorian style house was built in 1899 on Bolton St in the historical Jacksonville,
Tx. The Boltons, for which the street is named after, are among the oldest families in
Jacksonville. The pioneers of this family in the county, Canada Sevier Bolton(1820-1909) and
Susannah Rosamond Slaton Bolton(1823-1906) came from the “Deep South” in Alabama.
The story is told that they came to Texas in a covered wagon and that on the way one of the
children fell out of the wagon and had to run behind until he could get them to stop. This may
be only an interesting legend, the fact is that they had 11 children. Many of these descendants
still reside in the county.
We do believe that there are some Bolton family members here in the house. We have been
unable to document with certainty that any of the Boltons actually lived in the house. Here’s part
of the mystery. Many of the deeds and records can’t be found.
The house itself is a beautiful, 13 room home, many of which still have original paint and walls.
The outside of the house still has original wooden boards and windows from 1899. The
backyard is very nice in the evening with lots of shade and space to enjoy a little fresh air.
The 1899 Bolton St House sits in the center of 12 cemeteries located within a 5 mile radius and
6 of those a 3 mile radius. Also, there was an old Sanitarium just across the street. This
definitely, we believe, is one of the many reasons this beautiful home has so many spirits or
“travelers”. We do believe the house to have at least two portals in it. The kitchen and a small
room upstairs in the attic.
Originally known as the Cherokee Sanitarium, this hospital began in 1919 as a nine-bed facility
in a small Jacksonville apartment house. In 1925, a larger facility was constructed, and five
years later, the hospital was renamed to honor Nan Travis (1854-1919), the mother of staff
doctors J.M. and R.T. Travis. Over time, the medical institution has grown to serve citizens from
all over East Texas. Building expansion programs accommodated the growth and changes in
health care during the 20th century in 1997, Nan Travis merged with a larger system to become
the East Texas Medical Center-Jacksonville.
Jacksonville, Tx has two unfortunate “Claims to fame” in their history. One was the Gunfight of
1873 where the townspeople and the circus personnel of Robinson Circus had a big gunfight.
The townspeople were unruly one evening and sat down in the center ring of the circus where
the trained horses were to come out and perform. The towns folk refused to leave, so the circus
workers attempted to remove them. And all hell broke out. Even some of the circus animals
were caught in the crossfire and died.
The other is the Killough Massacre. About 15 minutes North-West from Downtown
Jacksonville, the Killough Monument is a memorial to a sad event in our history. According to
the Texas State Historical Association, "The Killough Massacre, said to have been the largest
single Indian depredation in East Texas, took place on October 5, 1838, near the site of present
Old Larissa in northwestern Cherokee County. The eighteen victims included Isaac Killough, Sr.,
and members of his extended family, who had immigrated to Texas from Talladega County,
Alabama, the year before.
On Christmas Eve 1837 Killough, his four sons, his two daughters and their husbands, and two
single men, Elbert and Barakias Williams, settled on what is now known as Killough Creek,
seven miles northwest of Jacksonville. The land was part of a larger tract originally granted to
the Cherokees under Sam Houston and John Forbes's treaty in 1836. The treaty, however, was
nullified by the Republic of Texas Senate in December 1837, and portions of the land were sold
to the Killoughs and other settlers. The rescinding of the treaty and the growing incursions of
new settlers from the Old South provoked bitter resentments in the Indians and laid the basis for
the uprisings in 1838. During the early part of that year the Killough group built houses, cleared
the land, and planted crops. But in August, when the corn was ready to harvest, they received
news of a growing insurrection of disgruntled Mexicans and Indians in the region led by Vicente
Córdova, the former alcalde of Nacogdoches. Córdova, collaborating with Mexican officials on
the Rio Grande, plotted to retake Texas by inciting the Indians to attack the English-speaking
settlers, a move they hoped would open the way for an invasion by the Mexican army. The
Córdova Rebellion, as the plan was called, never materialized, and the insurrection was quickly
suppressed by a hastily organized militia led by Gen. Thomas J. Rusk.
Killough and the rest of the approximately thirty settlers, fearing Indian attacks, had in the
meantime fled to Nacogdoches, but they returned in late September or early October believing it
would be safe to harvest their crops. One later report alleged that the Indians had agreed to
allow the Killough group to remain until the "first great white frost." On the afternoon of October
5, however, a hostile band attacked the settlement. Eighteen of the settlers, including Isaac
Killough, Sr., were killed or carried off.
The survivors, including Killough's wife Urcey, eventually made their way to Lacy's Fort, forty
miles to the south. William Killough, who made the journey to Ft. Lacy, as an infant on his
Mother's back, told the story of their trek as it was told to him: "When night came they started for
Ft. Lacy, traveling as best they could, as they had to leave the path often as Indians were
coming up all through the night. There was one serious drawback to them- one that might have
proven fatal to them at any time. They had an infant one year and eight days old, and a small
fist dog along. The cry of one or the bark of the other would have been fatal, but it seems (we)
both knew that there was something wrong, for when they would stop the dog would hover
under their skirts like he was trying to keep out of danger. In the beginning, they did not know
what to do with the dog. They could not leave it, and didn't have the heart to kill it, nor anything
to kill it with."
Word of the massacre quickly spread, and a militia led by Rusk set out to find the perpetrators.
After reaching Fort Houston, near the site of present Palestine, they received word that the band
was camped at an old Kickapoo village near Frankston. The following day Rusk and his men
attacked. In the skirmish that followed eleven members of the band were killed, including a
renegade Cherokee named Tail. The exact composition of the Indian group is not known, but
Gen. Hugh McLeod, a participant in the battle, later wrote that the band included Caddos,
Coushattas, several runaway slaves, Mexicans, and possibly Keechis. The survivors of the
massacre claimed that they saw a white man dressed as an Indian, but the claim was never
substantiated.
The Killough Massacre and its aftermath represent a final chapter of the Córdova Rebellion, but
the deep-seated resentments aroused by the abrogation of Houston's treaty and the incursions
of new settlers led to the Cherokee War the following year. A stone obelisk to commemorate the
victims of the massacre was erected at the site by the Work Projects Administration in the late
1930s, and in 1965 a state historical marker was dedicated there. The monument and cemetery
are now enclosed by a fence, and descendants of the Killough family have established a
foundation to provide permanent care."
We do believe that some of the spirits from the Massacre and Gunfight may be visiting the
house. Some of the paranormal experiences we have had in the house are, disembodied
voices, real time audible voices, shadows, doors opening and closing by themselves, footsteps,
little feet running through the kitchen and loud, unexplainable bangs.
ABOUT YOUR STAY
FIRST AND FOREMOST- NO SMOKING OR VAPING IN THE HOUSE! THIS HOUSE IS 125
YEARS OLD AND COMPLETELY MADE OF WOOD. SO FOR SAFETY REASONS NO
SMOKING IS ALLOWED OR OPEN FLAMES OF ANY KIND.
What’s in the kitchen?
● Microwave
● Refrigerator
● Utensils
● Paper products plastic silverware/plates
● Running water
● Coffee Pot
● No stove or oven
How many bedrooms?
The house has 3 bedrooms. One with a King bed, and two with full size beds.
Each of the rooms have a/c window units. None of the rooms have a private bath. There is one
bathroom upstairs with a shower/tub. The other bathroom is downstairs. No shower or tub.
There house does not have central heat or air.
Where do we park?
Parking is a little tricky. You can park 3 or 4 cars along the side of the house and one or two in
front. Minimizing the number of cars is best.
How do I pay for my overnight stay?
A deposit of half your cost of your overnight is due when booking or can be paid in full at the
time of booking. Venmo, PayPal, Zelle are some of the forms of payment I can accept or you
can call over the phone and use a credit card.
What about check-in?
● Check-in 3:00pm
● Check-out 9:00am
You will be given a tour of the house (if requested) and told about the history and paranormal
activity. If you do not want a quick tour, then you will be given a code to use a couple days
before your arrival and the house is all yours.
Are there places to eat and hotels in Jacksonville?
Yes. The house in centrally located to several restaurants and fast food. You're going to love
this! Starbucks is within a 5-10 min walk from the house. There is a Wal-Mart, CVS, and
several hotels 5 mins from the house.
Please note*** We do not allow Ouija Boards at the property. If we find out that you
brought a Ouija Board into the house, you will not be allowed back.
We have tried to make the house as comfortable as possible without affecting the feel of
stepping back into time 125 years ago. Please, come enjoy the house and its spirts.
If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to email or text me.
Becky Vickers
Owner
Email: 1899Boltonsthouse@gmail.com
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