Alice Flagg is Searching
While her brother, Dr. Allard Flagg, may be more famous (mostly for owning the infamous rice plantation, the Hermitage), Alice’s story is certainly more haunting. After her father died at just 43, her and her mother would reside at her brother’s home.
Alice was well known in the community for not just her family name, but for her beautiful blue eyes and kind countenance. It’s no surprise that one day while running errands in town, Alice caught the eye of a handsome young man. The two entered a secret courtship and soon she fell for him. One day, the man came to the home of Dr. Flagg to meet Alice. Dr. Flagg intercepted the young man and spoke to him for quite some time. Before he could go in to see Alice, Dr. Flagg sent the man away due to his lower social status and general demeanor.
Devastated at her brother’s demands that she cease all contact with the man, she did everything she could to keep the courtship alive - even if it meant keeping a secret. Eventually, the young man proposed and Alice accepted. When her brother caught her wearing the ring he demanded she return it. She said she would, but simply hung it around her neck. As she continued to get caught, her brother decided he had to send her away to boarding school.
Despite being kept away from her beloved, she continued to treasure the ring while at boarding school in Charleston. However, after several months she took ill. Her brother, a doctor, demanded she travel and be brought home so he could treat her directly.
The travel back from Charleston weakened Alice immensely. It was believed she had contracted malaria and died shortly after returning home.
As he prepared his sister’s body for burial, Dr. Flagg again discovered the ring he had told her to throw away on her neck. In despair over his sister’s death and the circumstances that had led her to catching this disease, he took the ring off and threw it deep into the marsh.
Her brother’s selfish act has led to Alice’s spirit endlessly wandering the marsh, searching for her lost lover’s ring. Many have seen her ghostly young figure in the distance, always looking for something.
Her grave marker simply reads, ‘Alice’ but all those who find it seem to know it is for Alice Falgg. There is a lore that if you circle the marker backwards 13 times, then lay on top of it that Alice will appear before you. Others drop coins and rings on the market, in hopes her ghost may finally rest thinking she has found her ring.
Interestingly enough, all known records from All Saint’s, where Alice is said to be buried, indicate that no one is buried in that spot and that the marker is strictly commemorative - and might even be a different family member named Alice Flagg!
Tabitha F., thank you for the blogstonishing recommendation!
The blog image CTRUE CC BY SA
