Historical Spirits in Dreams

A fascinating thing has been happening to me recently. Spirits and events of a location are showing up in my dreams days before an investigation or sometimes showing up not related to an upcoming investigation at all. Often I can remember people, places, names, and dates from these dreams. Yes, this is strange and No, I have no idea really how to explain this. Dreams are full of symbolism and are not exact to reality so interpretation is with a grain of salt. Also as a reminder I try to know as little as possible of places I Walkthrough or Investigate. Check out some recent dreams and their real people, names and places!

For example, I had this dream the night before investigating Boonton Historical Society, Boonton, NJ:

” I was at an old building that was multiple stories high. It was old and the façade had changed in the front many times. As we walked up the steps the walls had tiles on them like a school or like a hospital. A women was leading us around and we were to meet the main owner of the building. The main owner was a women. She was brusque and curt when we finally met her in an upper story room that had a large rounded window overlooking the streets like a bay window . . . Then a kid came in and was patting their hands and I could smell soap. Very strong smell of soap or antiseptic. I think it was the powdered soap that we used to have at school growing up. Then something about the bottom teeth of mine coming out like my dentures came out. And then there was a lot of blood in my mouth and I had to hold a towel into it.”

Dream Assessment: It turned out that the building we were investigating was four stories high. It was the home and practice of a physician. Him and his wife lived on the floor with a large bay window and that room was their living room. The facade of the front of the building had in fact been changed and because of that change it cannot be registered as a historic landmark. Also the father of the women, AKA the Dr’s father in law, was instrumental in setting up various school systems in the area.

These two dreams occurred four nights before investigating White Hill Mansion, Fieldsboro, NJ:

“I was entering a house that was small but 3 floors and was still being constructed. I went up to the third floor attic and there were African American women in similar dressed clothing that were redoing a bathroom.  The bathroom was in the attic with 3-4 stairs going up to this bathroom. On the bathroom landing were two game sets and I was hearing about chess. Across from the door to the bathroom was another door and when I tried to examine it and open it I realized that it was not fully secure in the wall and that it still under construction and lead to no where. Then I continued to my bedroom which was down a narrow hallway on the right.

I was going to visit a friends new home. They bought this large home with a hotel section on the side. The hotel section was large and old and abandoned. The house part was also large and three floors. I walked in and knew that there were spirits there. I got a serious white man in a cape from like 1857 and his name was Thomas Potterville. His picture was on the wall as well. He was angry and he would make growl noises from closets. He was able to move a car balloon wherever when asked. There was also a cemetery on the property and I kept asking him why he was there and if it was because of a family member but it seemed like he only had one daughter and she was not buried there. So that wasn’t it. It seemed like there was some type of feud with another man and that was why this Thomas man was still there in the home.”

Dream Assessment: This location was in fact three stories above ground with a basement. It is currently under renovations to restore the property. On the third floor, which is the attic, there are three small stairs leading down to a secret area with 3 small rooms. This area also connects to a secret doorway of a second floor bathroom. It was thought to be used as a bordello for prostitution and access was through the secret door in the bathroom. A 1722 land survey showed a Thomas Potts owning 125 acres in the area. There was a Thomas Potts Sr (1647-1726) who traveled from England and landed in Burlington, NJ in 1678 and only had one son surviving to adulthood, named Thomas Potts Jr (1677-1754). Thomas Potts Jr had 5 sons and 3 daughters all surviving to adulthood and one son named Thomas Potts Jr II (1706-1742). There is a letter from Thomas Potts Jr. II from 1730 signed from White Hill. I am still investigating if this was the same property that the current White Hill Mansion is on or an adjacent property also considered White Hill.

It is interesting that this man came to me saying his name was Potterville. It was common back then to name towns after prominent families who lived there. The current White Hill Mansion is in the township of Fieldsboro, named after the Robert Field family who built the house in 1760 and occupied the property until 1847. The town name was given on March 7, 1850. Maybe Thomas Potts believes that since they settled the area first that the town name should be Potterville instead of Fieldsboro? Maybe this is the feud he is referring to? Maybe this is the story he wants to tell?

Other paranormal groups have captured EVP evidence of a man named Thomas. Another Thomas that has connections to the property is a Thomas Read (1740-1788) who married Robert Field II’s widow in 1799. He was a commodore in the continental army and could have worn a cape. He also died on the White Hill property.

I had this dream October 25 2020 and I believe this dream is referring to Washington’s Headquarters Ford Mansion, Morristown, NJ:

“My husband and I bought a huge white house that was built in 1774 and already was a historic location and was already hosting historic tours and ghost haunts. It was reportedly haunted. I was so excited an the rest of the team came over to celebrate we were so excited to have a private location to investigate and to host ghost tours. We only had gotten the news that we won the bid but we didn’t have the keys yet. We had to find the women with the keys who was in the busy museum section. I was told she had big jingling keys. The entrance to the driveway have two archways one was a white wooden square and the other was a wooden old or iron one that said the date and something Ranch. Like a “welcome to something Ranch””

Dream Assessment: I have never been here before. This building is all white with black shutters, it is huge, and it is in fact built in 1774. It is already a national historic location, a museum, and they do have a paranormal group that does ghost hunts here. There is also a sign at the entrance that looks woodeny/irony, but no date on it. I do not know of a women who runs the museum who would have big jingling keys, but this may be true.

These are just a few of the dreams with evidence to back them up. I have had many other historical dreams. In fact, just last night I dreamed of Victorian row houses in Philadelphia and a son named John and his mother being sad in the home alone which was filled with fur coats. I have no knowledge of Philly spirits or locations there but it seems they are calling out to me to come visit!