From the Vineyard Gazette edition of May 8, 1970 by Joseph Chase Allen:

Although the Vineyard has at least three and a quarter centuries of history behind it, during which time some crime has been committed, and other nerve-wracking incidents have occasionally occurred, the traditions of the Island have preserved but sparse mention of the supernatural. Though other places on the nearby mainland have their tales of witchcraft and of haunted houses where victims of violence have been said to walk there is little mention of anything of the sort in Island traditions, and such as there has seldom been mentioned.

As in all places, an abandoned house, falling into decay, has always been regarded with a sort of dread. The Island has had many such houses fall in ruins and some of them have been called haunted. Yet small boys visited them, in fear and trembling, as long as any portion remained standing, and if any visitors thereafter were startled when opening a closet door, to find a couple of sheep’s leg bones and a sheep’s skull, fastened to the door in the traditional style of the Jolly Roger, their shock was not lasting and they probably said little about it.

But there is the remnant of a tale still recalled, of the activities of something resembling a poltergeist, which startled occupants of a house, which is now no more, by opening windows and allowing them to slam shut and committing other disturbing acts. In connection with this tale, there is also a reference to a disappointed relative who coveted this house and connected property and might well have conceived the idea of convincing legal heirs that they were not welcome there.

There is also the story of two single men, who lived in a house by themselves, and who ate heartily of watermelons which floated ashore from a wrecked vessel, after which they died in a painful manner. No one ever lived in the house thereafter, it being regarded as unlucky.

But of the so-called Cook Place, beside the Gay Head Herring Creek, there has been a tale handed down through generations. The house has long since disappeared, only some foundation stones remaining, but in its time, it was regarded as a house of mystery, although in its latter years, at least two families lived there, and, as far as is known were never disturbed by supernatural visitations.

Yet the tale is worth the telling. How old the house may have been is not known, but its size, arrangement and construction would place its building during the colonial times. Who built it is another matter, but it was occupied by a white man, Lewis Cook, by name. Called an Englishman, Cook had no family and if he had servants or a house-keeper, neither are mentioned in the tale, but his activities were peculiar although he seemed to have enjoyed a certain popularity among the Indian population of Gay Head.

It was said that he would remain quietly at his home, mingling with others in a neighborly sort of way for weeks and perhaps months at a time. Then, a vessel would appear in Menemsha Bight and anchor. A small boat would come ashore, and up Menemsha Pond to the Cook place and when it left, Cook would be in the small boat which would return to the vessel, and the vessel would sail. It might be weeks or months before Cook would return and no one knew where he had been nor what his purpose, and seemingly, no one asked questions. In his mingling with the Indian people, one woman fell desperately in love with Cook, and as the story has been told, she proposed that Cook should kill her husband in order that she might marry him. But Cook wanted nothing to do with such a criminal act, and spurned the woman, who apparently developed that fury that is stressed in the ancient adage. Come a day when a wall building bee took place in Gay Head, and all available men attended, laying up stonewall, quite possibly that well-built wall which parallels Lighthouse Road, although this is not established. All available women also appeared and prepared a noonday meal for the men and among those women was the woman who hated Cook.

The tale continues to describe how this woman put poison in a drink which she served to Cook. Both liquor and coffee have been mentioned, but there is a doubt that it was coffee. In any event, Cook was suddenly taken ill and started for his home. He gained the small enclosure or yard in which his house sat and there collapsed and died. Whether or not he was attended by any of his neighbors is not mentioned, but certainly they knew very shortly what had happened.

From that time or shortly after, tales have been told of an apparition which has walked across that enclosure. Clad in knee breeches and wearing buckled shoes the figure belongs to a long-gone past, and no one has cared to meet him. Yet, as noted, two families later occupied the house and as far as is known, they were never disturbed by the uneasy ghost of Lewis Cook.

Compiled by Hilary Wall
library@mvgazette.com