Many years ago, a young girl, Emma, was often told ghostly stories by her nurse. Sometimes, the stories were real, and other times, not. Feeding her four-year-old mind ghostly tales made Emma afraid of the dark. One day, the family replaced the nurse with another, but her fear remained until Emma’s father instructed the new nurse to lock Emma in her room one night with no light inside. Screams from the little girl could be heard a mile away as family members stayed by her door, unable to assist. Her father finally broke down and opened the door with a candle.
Years later, Emma grew into a young woman who always prepared with extra candles on trips and at night. She knew by the season which wick would last the longest. Emma eventually met Philip, from South Carolina, who worked in the area as a clerk at a shipping firm. Soon, they both became engaged, but poor Emma could not break the news of her phobia.
The young couple finally discussed her fear before the wedding date. Philip thought it was silly but assured Emma that she could still burn the candles at night, even if that meant he couldn’t sleep.
Unfortunately, Emma severely burned her arm with a heavy cauldron of boiling wax. The burns were so severe that infection set in, and no home remedy during this time seemed to help, especially with coming down with a case of yellow fever as well. A doctor emerged from her room to give the grim news. Emma would not survive the night. Poor Philip entered, taking her hand. Emma whispered to keep a candle burning at all times, especially at night in the dark cemetery.
Philip kept his word and would visit every evening before nightfall over the Georgia horizon until he died many years later.
Today, in a quiet corner of St. Simons Island, Fredericka is in an old cemetery at Christ Church. Emma’s flickering light can still be seen until you approach it, and then it disappears into the wind, but her grave remains a mystery.
Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Source: Ghost Stories of Georgia, Chris Wangler
Image: Georgia Historical Society