Chatillion-DeMenil Mansion
St. Louis Mo
DeMenil House Investigation January 30, 2010
Investigation start time: 18:15 hrs
Investigation end time: 21:30 hours
Video and audio monitored throughout investigation
Temperature Sweep of Entire House
Double Parlor temp 71-72
Library 68-70 and dining room
Drawing Room temp 64-66
Upstairs Rooms including Attic-60 -63
Dressing Room/Child's Room 53-57
Nicholas/Alexander’s Room: 52-56
Investigation Areas:
Library: EVP session conducted, photos taken, tuner used.
Sitting Room: EVP session conducted, photos taken, tuner used.
Dining Room: EVP session conducted, photos taken, tuner used.
Front Entry Stairs: EVP session conducted, photos taken, tuner used
Attic: EVP session conducted, photos taken, tuner used
Mrs. DeMenils Room: EVP session conducted, photos taken, tuner used
Basement and Underground Storage near Tunnels: EVP session
conducted, photos taken, tuner used
Investigation start time: 18:15 hrs
Investigation end time: 21:30 hours
Video and audio monitored throughout investigation
Temperature Sweep of Entire House
Double Parlor temp 71-72
Library 68-70 and dining room
Drawing Room temp 64-66
Upstairs Rooms including Attic-60 -63
Dressing Room/Child's Room 53-57
Nicholas/Alexander’s Room: 52-56
Investigation Areas:
Library: EVP session conducted, photos taken, tuner used.
Sitting Room: EVP session conducted, photos taken, tuner used.
Dining Room: EVP session conducted, photos taken, tuner used.
Front Entry Stairs: EVP session conducted, photos taken, tuner used
Attic: EVP session conducted, photos taken, tuner used
Mrs. DeMenils Room: EVP session conducted, photos taken, tuner used
Basement and Underground Storage near Tunnels: EVP session
conducted, photos taken, tuner used
Investigation Reports
| demenil_incident_report_mikeforrest.docx |
| demenil_investigation_reportmikeforrest.docx |
| demenil_house_investigation_debbejulie.doc |
INVESTIGATION PHOTOS
EVPS
| demenil_-1upstairs_bedroom_before_investigation.wav |
| clip1_alex_rm_at_11_secs.wav |
| clip2_alexs_rm_a_voice_over_investigators_at_4_secs.wav |
| clip3_alexs_rm_at_8_secs_.wav |
| clip4_alexs_room__two_clear_taps_at_10_secs.wav |
| clip5_alex_room_thumping_noise_throughout..wav |
| clip6_alex_rm_at_11_to_12_secs.wav |
| clip7_attic_odd_sounding_voice_at_about_4_to_5_secs.wav |
| clip8_attic_male_voice_whispering_at_15_secs.wav |
| clip9_mrs_demenil_rm__at_7_and_10_secs.wav |
| clip10_mrs_demenil_rm_at_7_to_9_secs.wav |
| clip11_mrs_demenils_rm_whispering_throughout.wav |
| clip13_mrs_demenil_rm__female_voice_no_at_23_secs.wav |
| clip15_hallway_emilies_room_at_11_to_13_secs_.wav |
| clip19_whispering_in_the_dinning_room_at_3_to_4_secs.wav |
| clip16_attic_whos_there_at_2_to_4_secs.wav |
| clip17_mrs_demmenils_room_hallway_at_2_to_3_secs.wav |
| clip18_first_floor_young_female__debbe_2_times.wav |
| this_is_not_an_evp_attic_french_spoken_by_silvana.wav |
| clip14_dinning_room_at_5_secs_distortied_childs_voice.wav |
| clip12_mrs_demenil_rm_at_4_to_5_secs.wav |
Conclusion:
Based on evidence collected during the investigation, there seems to be some paranormal activity. Due to the number of people in the house at the time of this investigation, some of the Audio had been contaminated. CCPRS feels another controlled investigation should be conducted under more controlled setting with less number of people in each room.
It is also the opinion, that sometimes as paranormal investigators, we must put aside our quest for collecting evidence to pause to those who care and work inside these beautiful homes everyday. Sometimes the client needs validation to the experiences they have had over the years.
Another investigation has been conducted March 26th, 2010 please visit those pages as well.
Based on evidence collected during the investigation, there seems to be some paranormal activity. Due to the number of people in the house at the time of this investigation, some of the Audio had been contaminated. CCPRS feels another controlled investigation should be conducted under more controlled setting with less number of people in each room.
It is also the opinion, that sometimes as paranormal investigators, we must put aside our quest for collecting evidence to pause to those who care and work inside these beautiful homes everyday. Sometimes the client needs validation to the experiences they have had over the years.
Another investigation has been conducted March 26th, 2010 please visit those pages as well.
PRE-INVESTIGATION-HISTORY
Reports of Paranormal Activity
Other groups have conducted investigations and one of the EVP's captured was a female's voice, speaking french...leading us to believe the family was french since the DeMenils were French. Personal experiences, owner, believes that poltergeist activity took place in her home due to some changes made in the DeMenil House. Apparently, after some changes, she came home and had dishes, etc being thrown to the ground. Since that time, she is scared to do anything that might upset the spirits in the DeMenil House as she thinks they will cause the same negative activity within her home.
CCPRS team just rapped up our investigationa and are going through all the information collected from the house, video, audio and photos.
This investigation of the the Mansion surprised both investigators and staff as well. Sometimes as paranormal investigators we are so caught up with capturing evidence, that when a case like this one comes along, it puts things in perpective, sometimes it is not about the investigation but about the people who care for these beautiful homes, CCPRS is honored as well as humbled by the dedication of the staff of the Chatillion-DeMenil Mansion. Sometimes as investigators we must put aside our need for collecting evidence to validating those who work in the Mansion everyday, who experiences in the Mansion are very personal and very real to them. CCPRS is very great full for the rare opportunity to have been part of this experience. Here are a few comments from two of the staff who particpated in the investigation.
This investigation of the the Mansion surprised both investigators and staff as well. Sometimes as paranormal investigators we are so caught up with capturing evidence, that when a case like this one comes along, it puts things in perpective, sometimes it is not about the investigation but about the people who care for these beautiful homes, CCPRS is honored as well as humbled by the dedication of the staff of the Chatillion-DeMenil Mansion. Sometimes as investigators we must put aside our need for collecting evidence to validating those who work in the Mansion everyday, who experiences in the Mansion are very personal and very real to them. CCPRS is very great full for the rare opportunity to have been part of this experience. Here are a few comments from two of the staff who particpated in the investigation.
DeMenil House Tour
January 30, 2010
Initial Walk Thru
11:30 am Saturday, January 30, 2010.
CCPRS Members present: Forrest Peterson and Mike Kupsch
Client: Edna Dieterle and Katherine Kozemczak
Purported Activity:
1st Floor
Library:
Nothing reported out of the ordinary.
Sitting Room:
· Wind Chime like crystals near window...2 of the crystals tapped together. Client tried to reproduce this experience without success.
Dining Room:
Nothing reported out of the ordinary.
Kitchen:
Staff has heard movement of items taking place in the kitchen while upstairs. This is frequent enough that many of the DeMenil staff will not go near the Kitchen
Drawing Room:
Nothing reported out of the ordinary.
2nd Floor
Alexander DeMenil’s Bed Room:
Staff has reported smelling period cologne near Alexander’s shaving stand.
Mrs. DeMenil’s Bed Room:
Client reports a sense of being watched while in the room.
Guest Bed Room:
Other paranormal groups report strange lights appearing on ceiling.
Other:
· Reports of full body apparition of Alexander DeMenil on front porch.
· Voices arguing in French coming from upstairs near stairways.
· General uneasiness created at times, such as being watched in all areas of the house. Especially related to the attic.
· Female voice speaking French heard near the restrooms.
· EVP recorded by another group in the Cherokee Tunnels.
Initial Walk Thru
11:30 am Saturday, January 30, 2010.
CCPRS Members present: Forrest Peterson and Mike Kupsch
Client: Edna Dieterle and Katherine Kozemczak
Purported Activity:
1st Floor
Library:
Nothing reported out of the ordinary.
Sitting Room:
· Wind Chime like crystals near window...2 of the crystals tapped together. Client tried to reproduce this experience without success.
Dining Room:
Nothing reported out of the ordinary.
Kitchen:
Staff has heard movement of items taking place in the kitchen while upstairs. This is frequent enough that many of the DeMenil staff will not go near the Kitchen
Drawing Room:
Nothing reported out of the ordinary.
2nd Floor
Alexander DeMenil’s Bed Room:
Staff has reported smelling period cologne near Alexander’s shaving stand.
Mrs. DeMenil’s Bed Room:
Client reports a sense of being watched while in the room.
Guest Bed Room:
Other paranormal groups report strange lights appearing on ceiling.
Other:
· Reports of full body apparition of Alexander DeMenil on front porch.
· Voices arguing in French coming from upstairs near stairways.
· General uneasiness created at times, such as being watched in all areas of the house. Especially related to the attic.
· Female voice speaking French heard near the restrooms.
· EVP recorded by another group in the Cherokee Tunnels.
DeMenil House Investigation
January 30, 2010
Investigation start time: 18:15 hours
Investigation end time: 21:30 hours
Weather/atmospheric conditions: Cold, partially cloudy
Outside Temp: 20 degrees F
Inside baseline temp: 65 Degrees F
Moon Phase: Full
1st Floor Cam Investigations
Library:
Cam # 1 located in Library running video from 18:15 hours to 18:36 hours. Lots of dust orbs noted resulting from air vents blowing. I noted strange lights appearing in the room which turned out to be nothing more than the headlights of passing vehicles through the window.
Sitting Room:
Cam # 2 located in Sitting Room; no activity recorded.
Dining Room:
Cam # 3 located in Sitting Room; no activity recorded.
Front Entry Stairs:
Cam # 4 located on bottom railing of stairs. Recording started at **:** hours and ended **:** hours. Nothing noted. Lots of dust particles appearing as “orbs” as a result of the air vents in the hall blowing. Dust particles especially disturbed when walking on the stairs and releasing particles of dust from the carpet.
2nd Floor Investigation
Lauren, Forrest and I conducted extensive EVP & KII session in the Guest Bedroom, Mrs. DeMenil’s Bedroom, and Alexander DeMenil’s Bedroom to include the Bridal Room, with no results. There are very high levels of EMF in Mrs. DeMenil’s bedroom, which can cause the feeling of being watched, nausea, headaches and other maladies. We conducted two separate investigations of these rooms within the evening with the same results.
Additional Notes:
During the initial walk thru/tour, some of the paranormal activity purported involved hearing voices from upstairs and vice versa. During the investigation, I went upstairs and was just outside of the Bridal Room. I heard a conversation taking place between Katherine and Lori and it sounded as if it were coming right out of the office located in the Bridal Room when, in fact, they were located on the 1st Floor near the back stairway. Based on this experience, it is very clear that noise can travel easily when near the stairways.
Conclusion:
Based on my evidence, or lack of, I can find no basis of any paranormal activity. That does not mean that there is no paranormal activity at all, just that I did not find any evidence to support that basis.
January 30, 2010
Investigation start time: 18:15 hours
Investigation end time: 21:30 hours
Weather/atmospheric conditions: Cold, partially cloudy
Outside Temp: 20 degrees F
Inside baseline temp: 65 Degrees F
Moon Phase: Full
1st Floor Cam Investigations
Library:
Cam # 1 located in Library running video from 18:15 hours to 18:36 hours. Lots of dust orbs noted resulting from air vents blowing. I noted strange lights appearing in the room which turned out to be nothing more than the headlights of passing vehicles through the window.
Sitting Room:
Cam # 2 located in Sitting Room; no activity recorded.
Dining Room:
Cam # 3 located in Sitting Room; no activity recorded.
Front Entry Stairs:
Cam # 4 located on bottom railing of stairs. Recording started at **:** hours and ended **:** hours. Nothing noted. Lots of dust particles appearing as “orbs” as a result of the air vents in the hall blowing. Dust particles especially disturbed when walking on the stairs and releasing particles of dust from the carpet.
2nd Floor Investigation
Lauren, Forrest and I conducted extensive EVP & KII session in the Guest Bedroom, Mrs. DeMenil’s Bedroom, and Alexander DeMenil’s Bedroom to include the Bridal Room, with no results. There are very high levels of EMF in Mrs. DeMenil’s bedroom, which can cause the feeling of being watched, nausea, headaches and other maladies. We conducted two separate investigations of these rooms within the evening with the same results.
Additional Notes:
During the initial walk thru/tour, some of the paranormal activity purported involved hearing voices from upstairs and vice versa. During the investigation, I went upstairs and was just outside of the Bridal Room. I heard a conversation taking place between Katherine and Lori and it sounded as if it were coming right out of the office located in the Bridal Room when, in fact, they were located on the 1st Floor near the back stairway. Based on this experience, it is very clear that noise can travel easily when near the stairways.
Conclusion:
Based on my evidence, or lack of, I can find no basis of any paranormal activity. That does not mean that there is no paranormal activity at all, just that I did not find any evidence to support that basis.
Client Comments
Hello CCPRS,
First of all, thank you so much to all of you for the great experience we shared on Saturday! It was so good to meet your group, and the House liked you!
Katherine and I are already thinking maybe you could come back at some point for a presentation where you could reveal your evidence (which we are hopeful you will find!) to an audience at DeMenil.
And an afterthought......I was telling Mark my hubby about the evening's events, and when I told him about "Henri" in the attic and how we later wondered per Mrs. DeMenil if he could have been Henri Chatillon and how Henri seemed to communicate best with Silvana, Mark’s thought was that Silvana was the only one in the room with long dark hair and wearing a long skirt, and has slightly darker skin than the rest of us----if it truly WAS Henri, might Silvana possibly be reminding him a bit of Bear Robe?
I found that to be an interesting idea, just wanted to throw that out there. And all was quiet at my house the entire evening!! Thanks so much to you all again!
Take care. Edna
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear CCPRS,
I found the whole experience deeply moving. Not in a sad way -- just a deep, emotional, connected feeling.
I thought more about my "conversation" with Henri. On further reflection I am now convinced that Debbe was right. This must have been Henri Chatillon rather than a servant. I think this is so for several reasons: first, I wasn't positive that the entity understood the difference between lighting up the green & red indicators -- I didn't see clear a pattern in the use of colors. So the fact that I got positive responses to some questions wasn't a clear indication to me (i.e., "yes" to the question, "are you a servant?")
Second, I can't claim to be psychic or sensitive, at least not with spirits, but it hit me with total clarity when I was beginning to spell that the person with whom I was communicating couldn't read. The thought that struck me was quite unmistakable: "don't go on with this, he can't read." The thing is, I had absolutely NO idea that Henri Chatillon was illiterate. I didn't know that until hours later when Edna explained that to me. It would never have occurred to me.
The most moving & compelling events of the evening, for me, were: the conversation between Edna and Mrs. DeMenil; the creaking of the bedsprings twice (which we all heard & couldn't be realistically duplicated); the flicker of EMF when Forrest did the sweep in Alexander's Room, in response to my question "Are you Alexander?" It immediately went all the way to red, in precisely the same place where someone caught the odor of cologne.
And finally of course the conversation with Henri, which I found so moving for, reasons I can't fully explain. I want to thank CCPRS again for allowing me to participate. Debbe and Julie, it was so great to meet you both. I'll never forget this experience.
Regards, all,
Silvana
First of all, thank you so much to all of you for the great experience we shared on Saturday! It was so good to meet your group, and the House liked you!
Katherine and I are already thinking maybe you could come back at some point for a presentation where you could reveal your evidence (which we are hopeful you will find!) to an audience at DeMenil.
And an afterthought......I was telling Mark my hubby about the evening's events, and when I told him about "Henri" in the attic and how we later wondered per Mrs. DeMenil if he could have been Henri Chatillon and how Henri seemed to communicate best with Silvana, Mark’s thought was that Silvana was the only one in the room with long dark hair and wearing a long skirt, and has slightly darker skin than the rest of us----if it truly WAS Henri, might Silvana possibly be reminding him a bit of Bear Robe?
I found that to be an interesting idea, just wanted to throw that out there. And all was quiet at my house the entire evening!! Thanks so much to you all again!
Take care. Edna
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear CCPRS,
I found the whole experience deeply moving. Not in a sad way -- just a deep, emotional, connected feeling.
I thought more about my "conversation" with Henri. On further reflection I am now convinced that Debbe was right. This must have been Henri Chatillon rather than a servant. I think this is so for several reasons: first, I wasn't positive that the entity understood the difference between lighting up the green & red indicators -- I didn't see clear a pattern in the use of colors. So the fact that I got positive responses to some questions wasn't a clear indication to me (i.e., "yes" to the question, "are you a servant?")
Second, I can't claim to be psychic or sensitive, at least not with spirits, but it hit me with total clarity when I was beginning to spell that the person with whom I was communicating couldn't read. The thought that struck me was quite unmistakable: "don't go on with this, he can't read." The thing is, I had absolutely NO idea that Henri Chatillon was illiterate. I didn't know that until hours later when Edna explained that to me. It would never have occurred to me.
The most moving & compelling events of the evening, for me, were: the conversation between Edna and Mrs. DeMenil; the creaking of the bedsprings twice (which we all heard & couldn't be realistically duplicated); the flicker of EMF when Forrest did the sweep in Alexander's Room, in response to my question "Are you Alexander?" It immediately went all the way to red, in precisely the same place where someone caught the odor of cologne.
And finally of course the conversation with Henri, which I found so moving for, reasons I can't fully explain. I want to thank CCPRS again for allowing me to participate. Debbe and Julie, it was so great to meet you both. I'll never forget this experience.
Regards, all,
Silvana
CCPRS investigation scheduled for January 30, 2010 (Road Trip)
Investigation team: Debbe, Julie, Shayna, Mike, Forrest and guest investigators Laura and DeMenil Staff members. Sceduled meeting with Clients for a luncheon at "Shangi La Diner" to discuss the upcoming nights investigation. Tour will be after lunch.
Historical Documentation
Henri Chatillon
Married first to an Indian woman who died in the mid-1840, he remarried Odile Del in 1848.
Chatillon's first wife was a Sioux Indian squaw named Bear Robe, the daughter of the powerful Oglala Sioux Chief Bull Bear. Bear Robe never came to St. Louis to stay with Chatillon. She died when she was quite young while Chatillon was out West with Parkman in 1846.
The homestead for this mansion had originally belonged to Henry Chatillon, and the state historical staff had found a picture of an Indian woman when they went through the attic of the mansion. (They had one child who died very young and a daughter named Emille. The picture was Henry Chatillon’s wife whose name was “She Who Wears a Bear Robe”, and she was a daughter of Chief Bull Bear and a sister to Little Wound. Notes about Henri's reaction from the passages of a book:
THE Whirlwind's people howled and gashed their arms to mourn Henry Chatillon's squaw, and killed her horse because she was lame and would need it to cross the prairies to the spirit land. But the warriors posed--motionless on horseback, arms crossed, or standing like statues in blacked robes, or sitting with robes draped in marble folds round their shoulders. The Oglala looked beautiful and Henri to a young man so weakened by dysentery that he staggered when he tried to walk. Nothing would break the disease. After the daeth of his indian wife, Henri moved to St Louis and met Odile Delor Lux and in October of 1848, Chatillon married wealthy widow Odile Delor Lux, who also was his cousin.
Footnote: Emilie married Benjamin Lessert chosen by her father.
Chatillon's first wife was a Sioux Indian squaw named Bear Robe, the daughter of the powerful Oglala Sioux Chief Bull Bear. Bear Robe never came to St. Louis to stay with Chatillon. She died when she was quite young while Chatillon was out West with Parkman in 1846.
The homestead for this mansion had originally belonged to Henry Chatillon, and the state historical staff had found a picture of an Indian woman when they went through the attic of the mansion. (They had one child who died very young and a daughter named Emille. The picture was Henry Chatillon’s wife whose name was “She Who Wears a Bear Robe”, and she was a daughter of Chief Bull Bear and a sister to Little Wound. Notes about Henri's reaction from the passages of a book:
THE Whirlwind's people howled and gashed their arms to mourn Henry Chatillon's squaw, and killed her horse because she was lame and would need it to cross the prairies to the spirit land. But the warriors posed--motionless on horseback, arms crossed, or standing like statues in blacked robes, or sitting with robes draped in marble folds round their shoulders. The Oglala looked beautiful and Henri to a young man so weakened by dysentery that he staggered when he tried to walk. Nothing would break the disease. After the daeth of his indian wife, Henri moved to St Louis and met Odile Delor Lux and in October of 1848, Chatillon married wealthy widow Odile Delor Lux, who also was his cousin.
Footnote: Emilie married Benjamin Lessert chosen by her father.
| national_registry.pdf |
| chief_bull_bear_and_henri_chatillon.doc |
Chatillon-DeMenil House, built in 1848 , St. Louis Missouri
Although it wasn't begun until 1848, three years after the completion of Walsh's Row, the core of the Chatillon-DeMenil House reflects an earlier St. Louis culture. It sits on land that was once a part of the Common Fields leased to the first Europeans to settle in Laclede's village. In 1848, shortly after the city fathers began selling off the Common Fields, several plots were purchased by Odile Delor, the widowed granddaughter of the French-born founder of the nearby village of Carondelet. Later that year she married her first cousin Henri Chatillon and the two began the construction of a two-story brick farmhouse with the wide double verandah characteristic of traditional Creole houses.
