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An especially grim version of an encounter with the ghost of the young boy is that this tortured young soul has reportedly been seen re-enacting the final moments of his life. Caught in a loop of horror, forever falling off the roof of the house and onto the iron spikes of the fence. To even imagine the sight of a small child impaled onto a fence is a ghastly nightmare waiting to be had. The Mercer-Williams House Museum, while open to the public, is not highly excited about the home’s ghostly reputation, as well their association with the novel, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The current owner of the house, Dr. Dorothy Kingery (Williams' sister) is usually rather tight-lipped when it comes to stories about her notorious brother, and even more dismissive when it comes to paranormal activity at the house. In fact, she claims to have never had any experience of the supernatural kind.
The Mercer Williams House: Savannah’s Most Notorious Home
The construction of the home began in 1860, but like most things in Savannah, it was interrupted by the Civil War. Construction was eventually completed in 1868, for the new owner, John Wilder. It's a shame that no member of the Mercer family ever had the chance to live in the Mercer house. The property includes a rather large carriage house and a beautiful private courtyard. I’m going to give you a quick rundown on its history, talk about the haunted factor, and fill you in on a few of the deaths the have occurred on the property (Hansford’s wasn’t the only one).
“The Book” is not off limits on Mercer-Williams House Museum or at the Tours, but Kingery says it’s just a blip.
These good times came to an end in the year 1981, after the shooting death of Williams' assistant and lover, Danny Hansford, a former prostitute with a past almost as questionable as the Mercer-Williams House itself. The Mercer-Williams is now owned by Jim Williams' sister Dorothy Kingery, who runs it as a museum. The Mercer-Williams is located at 429 Bull Street and stands on Monterey Square (also haunted) in Savannah, Georgia.
Artwork & Antiques
So, it would make sense that Danny's soul would have stuck around over the years. Since Williams' death, those members of the staff who have worked inside of his house (in the after hours), have time and time again seen the ghost of Jim Williams. Most frequently, it is said that he appears in full apparition form, walking up and down the halls of the house. The Mercer-Williams' most famous resident is unquestionably Jim Williams. Some say he was a killer, others say he was at worst very eccentric. Williams was also known to throw wildly extravagant parties that would have surely made Daisy Buchanan swoon (although it's doubtful Williams would have been interested).
This new home nestles amongst the trees of a watershed to take advantage of smaller moments of privacy in an otherwise urban environment. Mid-century lines divide airy interior volumes anchored by a concrete garage. If you want to get the scoop, the whole story about the hauntings and the ghosts of the Mercer-Williams House, then we humbly encourage you take one of our Ghost Tours in Savannah. Even if you (like the judge) believe Jim Williams to be a guilty man, you must admit, he didn't really get away with anything after all was said and done.
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Williams was charged with Hansford's murder, and subsequently tried four times for the crime. The first trial ended with him receiving life in prison, though many people speculated that Williams was only convicted because he was a gay man. The judgment was later overturned upon the discovery of contradicting police reports. But, two years later, the fourth and final trial ended with Williams being found not guilty. McIntosh called Gwinnett a “scoundrel and lying rascal,” in front of the Georgia Assembly.
The house is decorated with pieces from Mr. Williams’ private collection, many of which have been in the house since he resided there in the 1970s. This includes 18th and 19th century Regency and Empire furniture, 18th and 19th century portraiture by Gilbert Stuart and Thomas Hudson, a wide collection of Chinese export porcelain, and other curiosities from around the globe. Williams used the carriage house, which fronts onto Whitaker Street to the west, as a guest house for visitors. His soul was clearly unable to move own, while the man who had killed him lived on as a free man. Which could be possible, especially when considering Williams' lifeless body was discovered in almost the same spot in which Danny had been shot dead, nearly a decade earlier. The biggest single event in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and maybe in the entire history of the house was the murder of Danny Lewis Hansford.
This freely available resource empowers the public with authoritative knowledge that deepens their understanding and appreciation of the built environment. I live just south of Forsyth Park in Savannah's artsy Starland District, and my daughter is a recent SCAD graduate. Click here to see where this site has been featured in the press and some of the awards I've won. If you go on a tour of Mercer House, make note that the tour groups typically meet inside the carriage house.
'Midnight in the Garden' 25 years later – District - District
'Midnight in the Garden' 25 years later – District.
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Infuriated, Gwinnett challenged McIntosh to a duel on what is now the cemetery grounds. Both men were shot in the leg, at which point their seconds stopped the duel. Gwinnett’s thigh injury was far more serious, and he died 3 days after being taken to a hospital. Mrs. Gwinnett refused to condemn McIntosh for the death of her husband. The Lady Chablis is one of the few real-life people featured in Berendt’s book to play herself in the movie adaptation, but she was no stranger to the limelight. Also known as “The Doll” or “The Grand Empress,” Chablis headlined Pride parades and fundraisers, and published an autobiography, Hiding My Candy, in 1996, a year before her big screen debut.
She did that to prevent people from using images of the home to promote tours and things of that nature. The home is very grand, and there are beautiful antiques, reproductions, and eclectic furnishings on display. Dr. Kingery lived in the home and made the primary rooms on the ground floor available for touring.
Even, as the trials ended, Williams breathed air as a free man for only six months before his death in his beloved house. As a result of its tumultuous past, the Mercer-Williams House has become a favorite attraction for those visiting Savannah. But, don't just go on any tour and listen to the ramblings of misinformation spewed as gospel. Ghost City Tours is the place to book with, because our mission is to share the truth with all seekers of the paranormal. We need your email address to send you trip itineraries and other updates. Midnight’s cover famously features the Bird Girl, a sculpture by Sylvia Shaw Judson that once resided in Bonaventure Cemetery.
So satisfied with its outcome, Williams decided to make the house his permanent residence, while using the carriage house out back for his antique restoration business. Around the year 1868, the house was completed by its new owner, John Wilder, as the Confederate General Hugh Weedon Mercer was unable to finish his dream home. Interestingly enough, no member of the Mercer family ever actually had the chance to live at the Mercer-Williams house.
Also designed by John Norris, the Andrew Low House was built in 1849. The Italian Villa-style home features Grecian architectural details, a stunning ironwork balcony and a shuttered piazza overlooking a brick-walled garden. Boasting intricately carved woodwork and plaster cornices, the edifice was once the residence of Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts of the USA. Today, the Mercer Williams House is owned by Jim's sister, Dorothy Williams Kingery.
Originally just the Mercer House, it was designed by John S. Norris, a New York architect, for General Hugh W. Mercer, great-grandfather of songwriter, Johnny Mercer. Norris is also known for designing the Savannah Custom House, the Andrew Low House, and the Green-Meldrim House. Although it’s rare, sometimes you can still find copies signed by the author at those two locations. The book by Dr. Kingery focuses on the many homes that Jim Williams preserved, both in Savannah and throughout the Lowcountry. I always thought she was generous to share her incredible home with visitors, and I appreciated her entrepreneurial spirit for capitalizing on all the hoopla surrounding the house. Jim Williams’ sister, Dr. Dorothy Williams Kingery, owned the home for decades after his death — although she came about it in a convoluted way.
Whenever that happens, the ghost of the windows left behind are referred to as “phantom windows”. Guests used to be able to peek into the courtyard, but the height of its brick wall was extended during the late-1900s for privacy reasons. Since Williams was known for throwing large parties, and he particularly loved his elaborate Christmas Gala, visitors sometimes report seeing ghosts celebrating the holiday season at the Mercer House during the month of December. When tour guides spin tales about the house, they claim Williams was haunted by Hansford’s ghost once he returned home to the Mercer Williams House. Make note that there are multiple missing spikes, but the one in question is on the south-facing side of the home.
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