Ramtail Factory

The Ramtail Factory has been my favorite haunt in RI for several decades. I first came upon the story in 1975 for the Halloween edition of the Observer. Several years later, I finally had the opportunity to trek into the woods of Foster and happened upon the ruins of the factory. What I had come across not only sat right along the water but there was a great wall across the river that resembled the remains of a dam. The foundation by the water also had a raceway leading back to the stream, a sure sign that it was once a mill with a wheel. I had chosen to investigate this location first and found many telltale signs that it was indeed a factory with some mill houses and remains of a larger building.

Scouring both sides of the river, I found that the wall was part of a dam and raceway that had long fallen and was now just a remnant of the past covered by scrub oak and trees. The woods had grown over much of the outer foundation of the building yet an inner area still remained in good repair. this appeared to be where a water wheel may have been by the sliuceway leading back to the river.  I went back and did a few investigations of this area as I was convinced I had found the Ramtail Factory even though the ghost of Peleg Walker did not make an appearance or the bell toll.  

Unfortunately, locals, and people who fished the river told me that I was in the wrong location and they were not the ruins of Ramtail but rather another small mill that was once owned by William Potter. I was told by many that the factory lay beyond the beaver dam where several prominent foundations remained. I was in doubt of this as the foundations were so far from the river's edge. Still, many of the local folk insisted that the factory was past the old bridge. The river had been diverted by the Barden Reservoir but it seemed a bit too far from the water. I had to take their claims into considerartion as I had no other evidence to go by but those who apparently knew the area well. It was an impressive example of ruins in the woods, one that surely looked like it could have been a mill complex and small village but I had many questions. If there were mill houses, where were the foundations? Why did one building in particular have a chimney structure and the others did not. Why did the main building have only three walls? And why was there a stone wall that lead into the Barden Reservoir? I began to feel this was more in resemblance to a farm  rather than a mill and village.

I also investigated that area and yes, it was haunted but I was convinced that the small ruins along the waterway near Ramtail Road were actually Ramtail. As stated before, I had investigated on my own what I was convinced might be Ramtail many years ago just to see if anything showed up. I did research on ther area but found no pictures or drawings of the factory. I did find in the 1885 Rhode Island State census, page 36, on the top line an excerpt that said "Mills-Ramtail Factory, (Haunted)" This was a significant find to prove that the haunting goes way back and was not a modern urban legend.

Between the two sites, it seemed the more prominent one across the river, the old farm, produced the haunts that some have been associated with the Ramtail Factory. The sound of a lantern swinging to and fro, the light of a candle from an ethereal lantern and even a glowing apparition within the structures have been witnessed. Someone was doing their rounds, perhaps still checking on the animals that were once in the barn.

The farm is haunted by someone, yet the factory is haunted by the spirit of Peleg Walker. The bell heard in the distance rings from that area where there is the remains of the factory, a store, and some mill houses. Looking into the deeds for the land that the factory was on showed that William Potter purchased land just off of Ramtail Road to build the factory and village on. That land is where the factory and mill home ruins sit. It was the first place I had looked at and suspected as being Ramtail. I have visited the area over 40 times and have come out with evidence that the farm is haunted due to investigations by P.U.R.S. and other groups. My investigations of the real Ramtail were for the most part small vigils until recently when Arlene and I were accompanied by Donna Tucker Mooney, whose family owned the property, her daughter Meghan, Meghan's boyfriend Steve, Donna's cousin, Christine, and her friend Emily along with her daughter, Erin. It was a last minute impromptu investigation in hopes of establishing an energy link and communication with the ghost of the Ramtail Factory.

Donna grew up there and knew the area when it was cleared and the foundations were not so covered with the brush and ground cover. She has always wanted to know the truth about what happened to Peleg Walker. Some of the family say he met with foul play while others adhere to the belief that he killed himself.

Donna also furnished us with the only known photo of ramtail and a diary entry her father had from an ancester that states a mill owner slit his own throat as opposed to hanging himself. Clara Clemence Wade, in a 1930s article on Ramtail also states this fact. This prompted us to wonder what really happened at Ramtail in May of 1822.

Peleg walker owed the factory money and perhaps there was an arguement as legend states, but did it turn out different from the tale that is often told? Why would he kill himself at the factory?

There are deeds that show he also sold his shares in the factory and two parcels of land he owned to his father-in-law, William Potter and brother-in-law Olney Potter a day before he died and the deeds were drawn up and signed at quarter of one in the morning. Do not forget that back then, they worked by candlelight. Whoever drew up the deeds also signed Peleg's name as the two deeds are written in strikingly different script. Was he there for the actual transaction? We do not know. It all seemed rather odd which is why we had to get out there and find out what really happened on May 22, 1822.

We set up a video camera, two recorders and Arlene set out the cards to read the area and ask questions. Donna's daughter and her boyfriend held the dowsing rods. As Arlene drew the cards, interesting questions came up. The rods reacted in unison to the yes and no questions. More complicated questions became the subject of some interesting EVPs. Arlene drew a card that prompted her to ask, "Who was the woman who was in charge of the money?" We got a very faint and barley audible answer that said "Orra Potter." Research had uncovered that Orra Potter became a major owner of the factory adfter her husband died in 1831. We also got two more EVPs at the factory. One was a "yes" that can be heard while I am finishing the question, "Did you have an arguement... with the Potters?" The other was a "No" when I asked if there was anyone there that would like to speak with us. The stream acted as a perfect white noise background although airplanes flying by and traffic on nearby Route 6 was sometimes a factor in catching clear audible answers

Our investigation included the site of the store and mill cottages along with the mill site. We then ventured to the remains of the bridge for a vigil before going to the swimming hole just under the bridge on Ramtail Road (actually labeled on the sign as "Rams Tail Road") But by then all was quiet.

The dowsing rods and personal experiences along with the EVPs proved that Ramtail still thrives with the spirits of the past.

We will be doing more investigations of Ramtail and will bring some interested parties as well. We got some answers but there is much more to the mystery of the Ramtail Factory.

	Long drawn out "NO" to mill question	1885 State Census, page 36.	Wall along factory ruins.
Wheel race at Ramtail Factory.	foundation of general store at Ramtail Factory.	Only known photo of Ramtail and diary entry, courtesy of Donna Tucker Mooney.	"Orra Potter"
"Yes" in middle of question	Title	Title	Title