Egypt Valley: Louiza Fox

In the small town of Sewellsville in Belmont County, Ohio, there lived a young girl named Louiza Catharine Fox. She was just 13 years old, and worked as a servant for a local coal mine owner, the Alex Hunter family. But her life was about to take a dark turn.

You see, there was a miner by the name of Thomas Carr who had taken a liking to Louiza. He had been pursuing her relentlessly since the previous autumn, and despite her repeated refusals, he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He even asked her father for her hand in marriage, but was kindly excused. But as Louiza’s time working at the Hunter’s home came to an end, Carr’s menacing presence increased.

On Jan. 21, 1869, as Louiza was returning home from work, Carr was waiting for her behind a fence on her route home. He spoke to her, kissed her one last time and then proceeded to brutally murder her by slitting her throat with a razor and stabbing her multiple times. Louiza’s younger brother Willy saw the grisly act from a distance, and soon a group of armed and angry citizens were hot on Carr’s trail. The next morning, Carr attempted to kill himself, but failed and was arrested soon after.

Carr was charged with his crime and was imprisoned for a year before his execution took place. But even in death, Louiza’s story was far from over. For soon after, residents began to report strange events coming from the area. The ghost of a young girl was reported to be seen around the grave marker of Louiza, crying or lingering at the site. The ghost also has been spotted at the site of the murder, about a mile away from her final resting place. These sighting have led witnesses to believe that the girl is none other than the restless spirit of Louiza, unable to move on from her brutal murder.

To this day, the residents of Sewellsville still speak of the ghost of Louiza Fox, and warn young women to be careful when walking alone at night, for her spirit still wanders the area, seeking justice for her untimely death.