Here Are The 10 Strangest Things That Ever Happened In Mississippi
By Daniella DiRienzo|Published November 07, 2015
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Daniella DiRienzo
Author
Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for more than 30 years. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships. In the years since, she’s had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as the Mississippi-based Parents & Kids Magazine. She’s also had the honor of interviewing actress Sela Ward for The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience.
They say truth is stranger than fiction, and these stories definitely back up that claim! From an unusual mental institution escape to a man coming back from the dead, these 10 stories are by far some of the strangest in the state’s history.
The year was 1942 and even though America was in the midst of World War II, the residents of Pascagoula had something else on their minds – the Phantom Barber. The infamous hairstylist would break into residents’ homes and get to work cutting the hair of his sleeping victims. The Phantom Barber left behind very few clues, one of which was a single footprint. To this day, the Phantom Barber has not been identified.
In the summer of 2015, a Richton farmer experienced a major loss – 33 of his animals were found dead. The animals, which included 23 cows, nine yearlings, and one bull, were apparently killed when a severe lightning storm came through the area. Ray Jordan, the owner of the animals, made the gruesome discovery when he went to check on them after the storm.
In 2008, a Yalobusha County woman needed a vehicle, so she did just like anyone else and made an offer - and that’s where the normalcies end. The woman attempted to sell her own granddaughter for a car and $2,000. Even stranger, police couldn’t arrest the woman for trying to sell her granddaughter since, at the time, there was no law against doing so. Following this case, a bill was signed by Governor Barbour that made the act punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine.
In February of 2014, the family of Walter Williams got the surprise of their lives. It all started when Williams "passed away" in his home. Just like any other case, the coroner checked for a pulse and, when he couldn’t find one, pronounced Williams dead. The following day as funeral home workers were getting ready to embalm the elderly man, he started moving inside the body bag. The only explanation that the coroner could come up with was that perhaps Williams’ pacemaker temporarily stopped working and then started again, causing Williams to "come back from the dead."
Montgomery County resident, William Shawn Mann, decided to go for a Sunday jog…naked. While on his frisky run, the 27-year-old attracted the attention of neighbors who called the police. Once police arrived, they tried to investigate the complaint but were interrupted by Mann jumping on the hood of the patrol car, followed by him climbing onto the roof and then jumping on the officer’s back. Police tasered Mann and then tried to handcuff him, but the suspect escaped again – this time in a patrol car. Mann eventually wrecked the patrol car at which point he unsuccessfully tried to steal the truck of a bystander.
In September of 1903, the artist Walter Inglis Anderson was born in New Orleans. At his mother’s urging, Anderson spent years studying at some of the country’s most prestigious schools in the hopes of one day making a living as an artist. Anderson found much success as an artist; however, between the years of 1938 and 1940, he was in and out of mental institutions. While he was a patient at the Mississippi State Hospital, Anderson decided to escape, which he did by tying bedsheets together and climbing out the window. Apparently, as he scaled the building, he used a bar of soap to draw birds on the hospital’s brick wall.
After returning home from their honeymoon in September of 2015, Carol-Anne and Ronald Morris found some type of strange animal – in their toilet bowl. Similar looking critters, which could not be identified by experts at the Jackson Zoo, have been found in other Clinton homes.
8. An Unusual Target
In the spring of 2013, Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus was in Tupelo. In town for a series of performances, the travelling circus was made up of several animals, including an Asian elephant named Carol. In the early morning hours, Carol was in the outside area of the Tupelo BancorpSouth Arena when a car drove by and fired into the area. Luckily, Carol was not seriously injured by the single bullet that struck her.
9. Satanic Suspects
In 2013, members of the group Satanic Temple traveled from New York to Meridian in order to perform a ceremony, “Pink Mass,” in Magnolia Cemetery, specifically over the grave of Catherine Idalette Johnston.
10. Unidentified Flying Dinosaur
According to several photos that are floating around, it looks like soldiers did a lot more during the Civil War than fight battles. In the photos, taken in approximately 1864, the soldiers are standing around with a prize they allegedly shot down from the sky – which is believed to be some type of a pterodactyl.
What did you think? Strange enough for you? Know of some other strange tales in Mississippi’s history? Share your thoughts below.
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