19th century, afterlife, ghost images, ghostly apparitions, historical photography, lincoln, mediumship, paranormal, séance, spirit photography, spiritualism, supernatural, unexplained phenomena, vintage cameras, william mumler

The Mystery of Spirit Photography: The Lincoln Photo and Beyond

Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of American President Abraham Lincoln, had her photo taken in 1872. Behind her, there’s a faint, white, semi-transparent figure with an arm around her shoulder. Strikingly, it bears a resemblance to President Lincoln. However, President Lincoln had been assassinated seven years earlier in 1865. How can this be explained? The Lincoln ...

Mikel Davis

Engraved illustration of men surrounding Abraham Lincoln on his deathbed.

A Monkey Working at a Train Station? Jack the Baboon Did Just That

There was once a signalman duo in South Africa comprising James Edwin White, a man who lost both his legs, and Jack, a baboon. Yes, a baboon, as in the animal. The two were tasked with keeping the trains on schedule in the 19th century.  Despite the unlikely pairing, Jack the baboon was so good ...

Viena Abdon

Jack the baboon and James White.