The mark of the vampire.
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Mercy Lea Brown, 1871-1892, was one of the most famous vampire cases in North America during the late 19th century. When news of vampire stories and cults from Europe reached America in the early 19th century, everyone in the New England thought they were being attacked by vampires. This happened especially in Connecticut and western Rhode Island where death rates were abnormally high from tuberculosis, smallpox, and measles. At the time, people weren’t sure what was causing the deaths and blaming vampires seemed like the most plausable answer. Hundreds of bodies were cut up and burned to stop these “vampire attacks.”

The Brown Family

The Mercy Brown case happened in Rhode Island and is one of the most famous cases. During a time period that spans several years, several memebers of the Brown family caught tuberculosis. First George Brown’s wife, Mary, died. Then their daughter Olive died. One son and four daughters remained, until the son, Edwin became very ill four years later. He and his wife left for Colorado where he was given treatment. Two years after that, Edwin’s sister Mercy became very sick with the disease and died on January 18, 1892, when she was only 19 years old. Edwin went to his father-in-law’s house where his sickness worsened.

The Curse

His neighbors all thought this was a curse from the vampires and the only way to save Edwin was to dig up the two daughters. If the heart appeared to be filled with blood, he was then told to burn the organs and feed the ashes to Edwin. Edwin didn’t really believe it would help, but thought he would give it a shot since his medical treatment seemed useless. He agreed to give the women up to try to at least save Edwin’s son.

Searching for Proof

Dr. Harold Metcalf was a medical doctor who did not believe in vampires. He dug up the bodies and found that Olive and the wife were decomposed, and there was no blood found in their hearts. When they dug up Mercy they found that she was in good condition and eyewitnesses swore that she was in a different position in her coffin. Brown instructed the Doctor to remove the girl’s heart and liver. People gathered around and were amazed to see blood dripping from the organs, although the doctor told them it was normal for this to happen on a 19-week old corpse. The organs were burned and the ashes fed to Edwin, though he died soon after.

The Legend Continues…

People over the years add to the story, saying that before Mercy died there were six or seven girls that all were born with the “mark of the vampire”, which was a bite mark on the neck. Mercy’s grave still attracts people from all over. Some claim that they see a glowing blue light by her grave, which is the sign of a traditional vampire’s grave. Others claim to hear a girl’s whisper that says, “Please help me, let me out.” Could it be her restless in her grave? OR is it just people’s imaginations.

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