Best Ghost Story 14 from 1800-1849 is "Peter Rugg: The Missing Man" by William Austin

At spot 14 in my countdown of the scariest ghost stories for the first half of the nineteenth century is Peter Rugg: The Missing Man by William Austin (1778-1841). Austin was a Harvard educated attorney who grew up in Massachusetts. He influenced Nathaniel Hawthorne, among others. He is remembered today for penning one of the most popular ghost stories for this period, which is derived from the popular theme of The Wandering Jew. Published between 1824 and 1826 in the New England Galaxy magazine, "Peter Rugg" recounts the horrific tale of a man who forever wanders the earth in search of something, but never to find it just as the Flying Dutchman forever sails the seas in search of land. The scary story is well written and Peter Rugg is one of the most vibrant characters brought to life in the first part of the nineteenth century. For these reasons it is selected as one of the best for this period. 

Best Ghost Story 15 from 1800-1849 is "The Collier's Family" by Friedrich Motte Fouque

It's October and the perfect month to finish my countdown of the Top 40 ghost stories for the first half of the nineteenth century. So let's get on with it.

The 15th best ghost story is The Collier's Family by Baron Friedrich Heinrich Karl de la Motte Fouque (1777-1843), who just happens to have the scariest name in the countdown. This horror gem was first published in English in "Popular Tales and Romances of the Northern Nations," which was published in 1823. This three volume collection of tales by mostly German authors also contained "Wake Not the Dead." This is the third vampire short story we have on record and many attribute it to Ludwig Tieck, though this has not been proven as the story was never found among his papers.

Fouque is best known today for his novel "Undine" where a water spirit marries a knight in shining armor. In 1814 ETA Hoffmann, who appeared at spot 17 with "Mines of Falun" and whose horror story "The Deserted House" appears in The Best Horror Short Stories for this same period, translated "Undine" into an opera. But it is "The  Collier's Family" that is the focus here, which includes a scary phantom brownie creature that haunts the collier's family. Collier is antiquated term for a coal miner and this story tops the other miner ghost story on the countdown, which is the previously mentioned "Mines of Falun," if for nothing else than originality.

In my short story collection Mailboxes - Mansions - Memphistopheles there is "The Brownie of the Alabaster Mansion" if you want to read a modern take on this creature that you are sure to find interesting! Tomorrow I will post a link to ghost story 14, so read quickly.  

Best Ghost Story 16 from 1800-1849 Lady Eleanor's Mantle by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) was no stranger when it came to telling a scary ghost story. His "Legends of the Province House" was mentioned as being exemplary by H.P. Lovecraft and his 1835 story titled "Graves and Goblins" is quite good. But this post is about Lady Eleanor's Mantle, which floats in at the 16th spot in my countdown of the scary ghost stories for the first half of the nineteenth century.

Nathaniel Hawthorne

"Lady Eleanor's Mantle" is a ghostly tale of pestilence and because of that it draws certain parallels to Edgar Allan Poe's "Mask of the Red Death," which is included in my recently published book: The Best Ghost Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Ghost Anthology. Without giving away too much, the horror story contains an insane person and is well worth a read on a moonlit night. Enjoy.  

Best Ghost Story 17 from 1800-1849 is "The Mines of Falun" by Ernst Hoffmann

Ernst T.A. Hoffmann (1776-1822), one of the earliest progenitors of supernatural stories, wrote the excellent The Mines of Falun. I pegged it as #17 in the greatest ghost stories for the first half of the nineteenth century. It was first published in 1819 and is set in the storied mines of Falun, Sweden. Many scary stories link the mines to the supernatural and a rumored tunnel to the center of the earth.

While in my estimation this is Hoffmann's greatest ghost tale, it is not his most original. He admits in Die Serapion Bretheren, Vol. 1, of 1819, that it involves a "well-known thema of a miner at Falun." Regardless, it is the first ghost story I have found in a mine and is well written right to its horrific ending.

What ghost storied did I like better than The Mines of Falun? Read The Best Ghost Stories 1800-1849 and find out.

#MinesofFalun #BestGhostStories #GhostStories #MineGhostStories #ClassicGhostStories #ETAHoffmann

Best Ghost Story 18 from 1800-1849 is "Monos and Daimonos"

Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873) is known in supernatural circles for penning one of the greatest ghost stories of the nineteenth century: "The Haunted and Haunters." This scary story is not in consideration for this countdown of the best ghost short stories from 1800-1849, however, as it was published in 1857. H.P. Lovecraft called it "one of the best short haunted house tales ever." But enough about "The Haunted and Haunters."

Bulwer-Lytton's second best ghost story is Monos and Daimonos, which floats in at 18 on the countdown. It was published in 1830. The horror story involves a shipwreck, a murder and . . . well . . . a relentless ghost set out for revenge. I hope you enjoy it!

Read my new book: The Best Ghost Stories 18800-1849: A Classic Ghost Anthology  

Best Ghost Story 19 from 1800-1849 is Albert Werdendorff; or, The Midnight Embrace by Sarah Wilkinson

Although Albert Werdendorff; or, The Midnight Embrace is not the most artful name in this countdown of the Top 40 best ghost stories for the first half of the nineteenth century, but the story itself is little diminished by it. Penned by Sarah Wilkinson over 200 years ago in 1808, this scary story makes a person think twice about being hugged at midnight. Wilkinson was a early author of the Gothic school along with other stars like Mathew Gregory "Monk" Lewis and Horace Walpole and Ann Radcliffe. I hope you enjoy it.

Best Ghost Stories Anthology

  

Best Ghost Stories Anthology for $.99

Want to be frightened over the weekend? For a limited time the Kindle version of The Best Ghost Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Ghost Anthology has been dropped to $.99. Read it tonight for a buck. And for those of you in the United States--have a great long weekend!