One Legend of the Brown Lady



In 1848, Chowan Baptist Female Institute (much later to become Chowan University) opened as a four-year women’s college in Murfreesboro, North Carolina. During the Civil War, a young lady attended but had to say goodbye to her fiancé when he went off to fight in the war. Sadly, it was their last goodbye, because he was killed and never returned. Not long afterward, the young lady developed typhoid fever and died, although some say it was more from her broken heart or at least not having a will to live. She was buried at the end of October, however, legend says her spirit could not find peace. Restless and driven, she began to roam the halls she had once walked as a student.

Most people who have sighted the ghost say she likes to appear in a mist or fog, and she’s always seen wearing the same brown dress. No one remembers her name and no records have been found to tell who she was, so everyone began to call her “The Brown Lady."  Custodians and staff also reported other odd occurrences – leaves gathered into little piles in the hallway after it had been left clean, twigs left in places where none had been; lights tampered with; a baffling rap on a window; and numerous other unexplained incidents. Especially, those working in the Columns Building reported hearing a distinct rustling like those of a long dress over petticoats and hoops. However, some students in the girls’ dorms have heard her sobbing. She's mainly been seen around the Old Column's Building, but she's not just restricted to there. Her second favorite place to roam is in the girls' dorms, but she might just turn up anywhere on campus. She especially likes to come out close to Halloween, the night of the roaming spirits and near the time she died.

As the years passed, the sightings and the legend grew. An early President of Chowan, W. B. Edwards, liked to encourage stories of The Brown Lady. He’d also been known to take students to the Wise graveyard near Halloween. No one knows for sure that The Brown Lady is buried there, but legend enthusiasts like to think so. In the 1940’s and 50’s, the college held a Brown Lady festival. As part of the event, a student would be nominated to dress up as The Brown Lady. She would lead participants around campus and to the Wise family cemetery.

This is the legend most often told on campus today. As with most legends with longevity, however, there’re several versions of the story. When Chowan University decided to publish a literary magazine showcasing students’ work, the committee decided to call it "The Brown Lady" after the legend. The magazine is available free each spring. In volume 3 in 2015, one of the short stories is about a new sighting of The Brown Lady in “The Legend Continues.” And so it has, over many years.

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