Curie's Ghostly Tales

The Delaney House. One of the oldest homes still standing in the state of Oregon, built in 1845 by a pioneer named Daniel Delaney, who came over from Tennessee with his wife Elizabeth, their 6 sons, and a young woman named Rachel – the one slave he would end up keeping to care for his sick wife on the journey to the new settlement.

Back in the early days of Oregon, things were operated without many laws or rules – people relied and operated on the community and goodwill of their neighbors, and crimes were virtually unheard of. Delaney in particular was well known for his southern hospitality and was highly respected in his community. So, when word came around that Delaney had been brutally shot and murdered on the front porch of his home, everyone was in complete shock. Who would do this, and why?

George Beale, a saloon owner in town, was well acquainted with Delaney and his family. It was said that Beale befriended Delaney, purchasing vegetables from his farm, and taking him up on his hospitality numerous times. Beale seemed to have an interest in Delaney’s small fortune he had built for himself, discussing finances with him and his family often. Delaney had considered Beale a close friend, and he divulged info to him that he had at least $50,000 at home. That’s equivalent to over 2 million dollars in today’s time.

January 9th, 1865. Delaney, now 71 years old, was living alone in the home he had built with only his dog for company. Two men show up at his doorstep that evening, calling out for Delaney, their faces covered in a black substance not only to conceal their identities, but because they knew Delaney was often very friendly to black folks. Delaney came out of the home, and was promptly shot by one of the men. Delaney, stumbling from the shot, got a better look at the men, and realized he recognized one of them. It was none other than Beale, his trusted friend. Delaney allegedly told Beale he would give him his fortune for sparing his life, but Beale wouldn’t have any of it and coldly shot him between the eyes. 

The two men broke into the home and ransacked everything before leaving. But someone had seen them that night, a young black boy on the property, thought to be the son of Delaney and Rachel. He would go on to testify against the two men, identifying them as George Beale and George Baker, who would then be the first men to be publicly hanged in Salem OR for the murder of Daniel Delaney. 

That brings us back to today, where the Delaney house is considered one of the most haunted in Salem Oregon, and brings in many occultists and spiritualists to see for themselves what it’s all about. Including myself. I stayed overnight for 2 nights to try to capture any spirit activity while staying in the original part of the home, which has 180 years of history attached to it. 

This is what we captured at the Delaney house.