A Paranormal Journal - by T.R.A.M.P.S. Team Leader Jessica Hernandez

A PARANORMAL JOURNAL

Using my creative abilities in paranormal investigating. First off, the whole idea of the Paranormal is not a subject that most people want to talk about. Many are afraid of the unknown, I, on the other hand, am not. I am interested in knowing what else is out there. This brings up the posing new questions everyday. Whether it’s trying to answer the questions of what is happening on a case/client or just asking myself, “Is this real?” Most people think that all investigators are not skeptical, but I feel its good to have a healthy skepticism.  It keeps you open minded and not rigid.  I also study a lot about the paranormal, outside of just ghost hunting.  I take online courses from some of the most popular investigators out there. As we speak, I am enrolled in a webinar class on Demonology. That is definitely a subject that is outside of my group’s specialty.  My reasoning in taking this class is because how do I fight against something I know nothing about?  Knowledge is definitely power and the more I know, the better equipped I will be on investigations of this level of negativity. When you are on a case, one needs to be observant, not only to the people involved but of the subtle energies that are not as easy to see.  This is my specialty. I am extremely good at reading people and the energy around them. Some may view this as being psychic, I really don’t like to be labeled in that fashion. I’m a great observer. I am not a medium. Our team has a excellent medium already. I only use this gift during investigations or when it is necessary. I then give my observations to my team members. I was not given this gift to abuse it or to profit from it.  It is a God given ability that was past down to me, I will only use it for the good of all involved.  This ability has also gotten me much resistance from some of my more religious family members or those 
who don’t understand it.  I try to explain it like this, do you remember the story in the bible of Daniel? He was a psychic was he not? Daniel had many prophetic dreams.  I also have this ability. Jesus himself was able to do amazing things like see the future and heal the sick. Miracles we call them. This was because he was God. So why wouldn’t God, who made everyone of us, give us the same abilities? I believe it is because we all have these gifts, many are too afraid to use them because our organized religions, made by Man, say otherwise.  I don’t have all the answers to the spiritual world. But I will take this ultimate risk to help another person in need of assistance. There are many people in positions of power in the church who refuse to help these people. Why? They even took a vow to honor God and to bring His people back to Him, but refuse to do so, that is very disturbing to me. By doing this work, I feel I am doing just what I was meant to do.  This was my life purpose, my mission.  Most of the time on cases, we find that our clients have no faith or have turned away from faith because of the rigidity of the Church or because they feel all Christians are hypocritical. If by doing this work, I can help someone find their faith, then it’s all worth it. I can be the Lord’s servant by bringing His lost sheep back to Him. I know others would not agree with me. I am ok with that. I respect others views. And of course, I get a lot of teasing from my family and friends, but I just laugh along with them. This shows them I am confident in what I do. I joke around about it too. Investigating can be fun, especially when nothing seems to be going on, that’s when we play tricks on each other. We even will throw a joke out there to relax the clients and help them feel comfortable. I know I sound like an uber religious person but I really am not. I like to be thought of as more spiritual then religious.



The creative abilities I used in the above journal entry are:
-Pose new questions to yourself everyday
-Learn about things outside your specialty
-Avoid rigid, set patterns of doing things
-Be open and receptive to ideas (mine and others)
-Be alert in your observations
-Keep abreast of your field
-Have courage and self-confidence
-Adopt a risk taking attitude
-Learn to know and understand yourself
Blog Post by:
Jessica "Dedee" Hernandez 
Jessica is the Team Leader of TRAMPS.  

The Haunting of Fox Hollow Farm

The Haunting of Fox Hollow Farm
This past Friday night two of my fellow team members Nicole(Co-founder), Dedee (Team leader) and I went to see the premier of Dan T. Hall's latest documentary titled "The Haunting of Fox Hollow Farm" at the Indiana State Museum at the IMAX theater.  This is a film about the serial killer named Herb Baumeister.  Baumeister was a local business owner and family man.  He owned the Fox Hollow Farm Estate located just north of Indianapolis.  In the early 1996 
there was over 5000 bone fragments found on his property.  There were believed to be at least 17 victims.  However, only 5 of the victims were positively  identified.  During the investigation Baumeister fled to Canada where he later took his own life. Current residents and visitors to the property have reported unsettling feelings, unexplained noises, and even seeing apparitions inside the house and around the grounds.  Dan filmed a group of paranormal investigators including psychics, demonologist, Native American Shaman, EVP Specialist, visual specialist, and two cast members from Paranormal State The New Class.  (Christopher Lien and Savannah Lien Wise as they investigated the 18-acre estate over a six-month period.  
This film was captivating and very informative.  It not only covered the paranormal activity on the property it also captured the investigative aspect of this horrific story of a very sick and twisted individual.  The ladies and I enjoyed the premier very much and it's always nice to see Dan who is always so gracious to us and our team.  It was also nice meeting some of the cast that we have not had a chance to meet yet.  There are still some screenings this weekend so if you can go see this great film and get spooked for the Halloween weekend.   http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=126052754164637
Thank you Dan and to all the cast for the great film!  
Wonderful Work!  




Showtimes  
October 28th 7:45 pm
October 29th 6:30 pm
IMAX Box Office (317) 233-4629
tickets click here
https://secure.in.gov/webstore/shop/ViewItems.aspx?CG=2&C=5


"The Haunting Of Fox Hollow Farm"
Cast
Marilene Isaacs, Tracy Bacon, Alex Hall, Christopher Lein

Andrea, Dan, Nicole & Dedee

Dedee, Nicole, Marilene Isaacs, & Andrea 

FRIGHT NIGHT 2011

Fright Night 2011-sign up at downtown library at 3:00pm

FRIGHT NIGHT 2011

Downtown Improvement District presents Fright Night 2011.  Come join the T.R.A.M.P.S at the Historic Rankin House for FREE Ghost hunts and tours on October 22, 2011.  The tours start at 7pm but you will need to sign up at the downtown library   Sign up begins at 3:00 P.M. at the library. Also a chance to meet the T.R.A.M.P.S. team members in person at the team meet & greet. Come and see the equipment that paranormal investigators use. You can also have a chance to see and listen to some of our evidence from our other investigations. Also get your picture taken with our new little mascot "Damien" Don't miss this spooky opportunity during the festive Halloween season! This is your chance to come downtown to see some history and maybe get a real chance at seeing a "ghost."   
There will also be other ghost tours.  The Fort Wayne Indiana Ghost Trackers will be conducting tours at the Mizpah Shrine.   Registration for both tours will be at the DID information booth on the library plaza from 3 to 5 or on-site starting at 7. (limited to 15 people per ghost hunt.)

Alexander Rankin House
818 Lafayette St. 

"Damien" (T.R.A.M.P.S. MASCOT) 

History of Rakin House courtesy of ARCH

The Alexander Rankin House is significant under National Register of Historic Places criterion: “Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past” and “Properties associated with prominent persons, including abolitionists who were actively involved with harboring fugitives or aiding them in other ways.
Alexander T. Rankin was born December 4, 1803 in Dandridge, Tennessee and spent his whole childhood there. He graduated from Washington College in Southeastern TN in 1826 and then moved to Ripley, Ohio. While at Ripley, Alexander lived with his brother John, who trained hi, for the Presbyterian ministry. Throughout that same year, John Rankin had become nationally known for his abolitionist views. In October of 1829 Alexander T. Rankin married Mary Merriweather Lowry. Mary Merriweather Lowry was from a family of abolitionists as well. In 1830 Alexander was hired to lead the Presbyterian congregation of Felicity, Clermont County, Ohio. Once settled in there, he became involved in Clermont County abolition activities.
In the mid 1830s, Alexander Rankin made trips to lead worship services, but many believe he visited these sites as he lectured against slavery, introducing himself to the Fort Wayne area, as an abolitionist. In 1837, the Presbyterian congregation at Fort Wayne hired Alexander T. Rankin as their pastor. In 1838 Rankin was one of the first organizers of the Indiana Antislavery Society. By this time, Alexander was gaining a reputation as an abolitionist himself, like his brother John Rankin had established.
In July 1841, Mary Merriweather Rankin died, leaving Alexander to raise their four children alone. Within a week of her death Rankin purchased the site of 818 Lafayette Street, and either constructed the home or moved into the already constructed home. Rankin’s church at the time was adjacent from the home located on 334-336 Berry Street. Rankin’s new home at 818 Lafayette Street was made of both wood and brick. The wood section of the home was figured to be built around 1835 and the brick part around 1841. The side door currently on the home was actually the front door at the time during Rankin’s tenure. Once ARCH had begun to restore the home, they found two plastered up cupboards on both sides of the fireplace mantle. These cupboards could be reached through the crawlspace of the basement.
In 1842, the Fort Wayne Sentinel quoted, “…Our pastor is likewise an abolitionist, strong and ardent in his feelings of opposition to the institution of slavery and bold and independent in the expression of his views on this delicate subject.” Alexander Rankin preached at his Fort Wayne church until 1844; then moved onto New York to continue his preaching career. Rankin’s home at 818 Lafayette Street had been converted into use as the first school for women in Fort Wayne. However, the school teacher, Matilda Wallace, had ties to the abolitionist movement. This indicates that the home was still used by abolitionists until the end of 1844, following in Rankin’s footsteps.