Who R U? Curious Stories of Family Lore

Buying a house for some people in the United States is a lifelong dream; one that only comes to fruition through hard work and determination. Sometimes our hearts get captured by an old home in desperate need of restoration.

We see a vision of what used to be and we long to bring it back to its glory days. We are nostalgic for a home that was never ours, in a time we've never known. There is something magical about bringing the past back to life after it's been long forgotten.

But what if, in the middle of realizing your dream, you come across something unexpected in the construction? A doorway plastered over, hovering halfway up a wall in your attic as if trying to be hidden.

Have you ever heard of a "Disappointment Room"? This week we talk about a sad part of our American history that needs to be remenbered, and Wietze shares her own discovery and what led to this episode.

Welcome to Who R U? Curious Stories of Family Lore.

Sources:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/cjbzxv/historical_evidence_for_disappointment_rooms/

https://www.ricentral.com/kent_county_daily_times/local-woman-who-found-secret-room-raising-funds-awareness-for-special-needs-children/article_c9a021f6-26f4-11e8-b9da-777fececc1ca.html

https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/disappointments-room/

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/couple-find-hidden-room-childs-36188690

If you'd like to help stop human trafficing and protect our children, you can find more information here: https://www.worldwithoutexploitation.org/

Here's a list of all the US Senators (every state) and how to contact them:

https://www.senate.gov/senators/

If you need help registering to vote:

https://vote.gov/

Thanks for being here, Fam!

Don't forget, you can STILL WIN A DUTCH HEX. Submit your family lore stories to:

Gmail: [email protected]

TikTok, Youtube, and Instagram: Whorupodcast

Hey, Fam! This week is a minisode where I, Wietze, am going to read you a couple ghost stories that take place in the adirondack mountains, my childhood stomping ground.

This weekend was a crazy one, and due to my visit to the ER and Sam's dad's ceiling collapsing, we've had our hands full. This was our way of compromising to make sure you all still got an episode.

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! @WhoRUpodcast

Email your stories for a chance to win a Dutch Hex and be featured on a future episode: [email protected]

The Adirondack mountains are a vast mountain range spanning over 10,000 square miles that runs through northern NYS and beyond. With over 100 mountain peaks made of actual moon rocks (anorthosite), and hundreds of lakes and rivers, these mountains are home to many stories of ghosts, cryptids, crimes, and much more. This week I am taking you to Paul Smith’s college to tell you a tale that just might make you believe in life after. 

Sources:

Adirondack Ghosts III by Linda Lee Macken

Scary Stories III: More Tales to Chill Your Bones By Alvin Schwartz

Paulsmiths.edu

Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @WhoRUPodcast

Submit a story and win a Dutch Hex: Email us @ [email protected]

Note: We say this is episode 21 in the intro but we've gotten ahead of ourselves :)

What is that feeling that creeps up on you as you walk into an unfamiliar room, the feeling where eyes are staring at you from the empty rocking chair. Your gut twists and you think, “this place is haunted”.  You feel an invisible gaze watch you as you walk around, examining relics from the past. The hair on the back of your neck stands up, you feel afraid of something but you don’t know what it is. 

Later on you find out that a horrific event took place in the very room you’d felt the eyes. Some might call this feeling a ghost. Did you feel their presence? Were they watching you? Or were you experiencing a “place memory”? Can the Stone Tape Theory be the scientific answer to some hauntings?

After all, the first law of Einsteins theory of Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created nor destroyed.

Sources:

https://www.visitstmarysmd.com/directory/st-clements-island-museum/

https://gis.smumn.edu/GradProjects/DanielsonL.pdf

https://sharonahill.com/the-stone-tape-theory-of-hauntings-a-geological-perspective/

Hey, fam!

Today we dive into the fascinating history of American road trips, exploring their origins and the cultural significance they hold today. We talk about the first ever cross country road trip and how it inspired the great American roadtrip we know of today. We then jump into some spooky personal anecdotes from our own road trips, including an encounter with the Ghost Light of Joplin and a white deer, to name a couple!

We hope you enjoy this mashup of personal experiences mixed with history and lore!

Submit your roadtrip stories for your chance to win your own Handmade Dutch Hex by Wietze herself!

Email us at [email protected]

Instagram: @whorupodcast

Tiktok: @whorupodcast

Sources:

Atlas Obscura

joplinmo.org

Personal Experiences

joplintoad.com

Hey, Fam!

This week we are diving deeper into Dutch Hexes! We explore the symbolism and creation of hexes, as well as magical intentions and how to interpret hex "zones". We then turn our attention to a tale that needs to be told; The Story of Annie Buchert-Bieber and how she was murdered in cold blood.

Don't forget, if you'd like to win your very own Welcome Hex, created by me, Wietze, then all you have to do is reach out to us and share us a family tradition/story/spooky tale. Reach us on:

Instagram @ whorupodcast

TikTok @ Whorupodcast

Or email us @ [email protected]

Sources continued from last week (see last week's shownotes).

Hey, Fam!

Thank you for your patience as Wietze was sick, we hope this episode will be worth the wait!

This we we talk about Dutch Hexes, what they are, and who brought them over to the United States (or should we say, Colonies). Next week we will get into some of the witchcraft, magic, and superstitions that led to murder.

For all visuals, please check out:

Our Instagram @ WhoRUPodcast

Our TikTok @ WhoRUPodcast

Our Youtube @ WhoRUpodcast (shorts this week)

ENTER TO WIN YOUR OWN WILKUM HEX!

Email a family lore story to: [email protected]

Topics can be about tradition, spooky family lore, or anything else you'd like us to share with our listeners on our show! Each story=1 entry to win! See instagram for giveaway details.

Sources:

"Hex Signs, Folktales, and Witchcraft of the Pennsylvania Dutch" by Hunter M. Yoder

Art and Infographs by Craig Shaffer and Eric and Johnny Claypoole

Word of Mouth Stories from Grandma

Lancasterpa.com and Their Hex Signs Page

The Designs of Jacob Zook

Glencairnmuseum.org

No video this week due to the holiday season

Finally, the two of us close the book on John Humphrey Noyes and the Oneida Community...for now!

We spend this episode diving into the "sleeping rooms", "interviews", "Sticky love", and so much more. We focus on Tierza Miller, someone who I personally believe was a victim of the system set in place by Noyes, and her story is important to tell to highlight some of the problematic occurrences at the Oneida commune.

In the future we may have a mini episode that highlights some of their other wild inventions, but this episode is all about the inner-workings of this 19th Century experiment (did we mention that the children they had in this community never signed up to be part of an experiment?!)

Sources:

Oneidacommunity.org

Ellen Waylan Smith and her book "From Freelove Utopia to the Well Set Table"

Wbur.org

tapatalk.com

wikipedia (because we there still)

Ancestry.com

Hey, Fam!

We are taking a break from John and the Oneida Gang this week to get into the holiday spirit and avoid skipping a week (I have a lot more reading to do to finish out the Oneida series and I need to be in the right headspace during the holiday season, not in John Noyes land).

So sit back, relax, and enjoy this light and festive refreshment while you wait for Part 3.

Disclaimer: We are no Yule experts as we are currently learning right along with you. This is my first official Yule and I thought I would share with you all what I've learned along the way. Please feel free to message us if anything is inaccurate :)

Hey, fam! This week we dive even deeper into John Humphrey Noyes and his beginnings in Vermont. Last week we glazed over some pretty important moments in his early days that I felt needed a bit more focus this week. I spent the week reading "Oneida: From Free Love Utopia to The Well Set Table", by Ellen Wayland Smith.

Hold onto your dignity because this week it's going to get WEIRD, and it's going to be a 3 parter!

*If you're watching the video, enjoy my left-handed animation for your comedic relief from the uncomfortable philosophy that is John Humphrey Noyes.

In this episode, we explore the fascinating history of the Oneida Community, founded by John Humphrey Noyes in the 19th century. The conversation delves into Noyes' beliefs, the influence of the Second Great Awakening, and the community's unique practices, including complex marriage and communal living. The significance of the Mansion House as a central hub for the community is highlighted, along with the legacy of Oneida Limited, the silverware company that emerged from this utopian experiment. The discussion emphasizes the progressive views of the Oneida Community on gender roles and property ownership, and how their practices continue to resonate in modern society.

Sources:

Oneidacommunity.org

Ellen Waylan Smith and her book "From Freelove Utopia to the Well Set Table"

Wbur.org

tapatalk.com

wikipedia (because we there still)

Ancestry.com

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Oneida Community

04:05 The Life of John Humphrey Noyes

12:25 The Second Great Awakening and Its Influence

17:31 The Concept of Complex Marriage

25:49 The Oneida Community's Legacy and Impact

28:57 Sound Quality Improvements

30:02 Introduction to the Oneida Community

31:52 Formation and Beliefs of the Oneida Community

33:19 John Noyes and Perfectionism

35:12 The Utopian Vision of Oneida

37:00 Community Structure and Practices

38:43 The Mansion House Construction

40:42 Legacy and Impact of Oneida Community

42:47 Future Discussions and Cliffhangers