An Introduction to Santa Claus & A Haunted House
Submitted by Kay Mason <KLMPIANO@aol.com on Jan 12, 2001
Taken from the journal of her grandfather, William Franklin Mason

Pages 19 & 20:

"The farm we now moved to was called 'The Baker Place.' I do not know 
when we moved to this place but it was near my 4th birthday - Jan. 31, 1876 - 
maybe before; maybe after. Anyway we had moved twice in one winter season.

Soon after moving here I got to know BENNETT BURTON and family who lived 
across the creek valley a short distance away. The older BURTON children 
were LYDDIA, FRANK and LAFAYETTE [BURTON]. FRANK [BURTON] was near my age 
and we soon became friends and remained so as long as we knew each other.

When a young man I moved to Carter County and he to Greenup County and we 
never met afterward. When I first met him he had a large glass marble with 
colored spirals inside it like striped stick candy. I asked him where he got 
it and he said, 'It came down the chimney.' I didn't understand what he 
meant until I was much older. My family had not taught me there was a Santa 
Claus.

This Baker place was said to be haunted, or, in the local speech, 
'Hanted.' It was common talk in that neighborhood that a certain tin peddler 
had never been seen after he had gone to this house with his pack and it was 
thought by the neighbors that the BAKER family, who then lived there, had 
done away with the man for his pack and his money.

Whether or not there was any truth in the story I never knew. I do know, 
however, that sister JANE [MASON] and I found tin cups, pans and pails or 
various sizes in weeds and shrubbery and in the edge of the woods nearby 
during the time we lived there. Where they came from or why they were there 
we never knew. We were well supplied with this new appearing tinware."

Kay Mason

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