The Tragic Tale of the Rum Keg Girl

In the heart of Beaufort, North Carolina, lies the Old Burying Ground, a cemetery dating back to 1711. Among its ancient tombstones, shaded by moss-draped oaks, rests a grave marked by a simple wooden plaque: "Little Girl Buried in a Keg of Rum." This epitaph hints at a tale both sorrowful and mysterious.

In the mid-18th century, Captain Sloo, a merchant, settled in Beaufort with his wife and infant daughter. As the years passed, the young girl became captivated by her mother's tales of England and yearned to see her birthplace. After much pleading, her father agreed to take her on a voyage across the Atlantic, with the solemn promise to his wife that he would bring their daughter back home.

The journey to England was filled with wonder for the young girl. However, on the return voyage, tragedy struck. The girl fell gravely ill and died at sea. Bound by his promise and unwilling to consign her body to the ocean depths, Captain Sloo made a poignant decision. He placed his daughter's body in a barrel of rum to preserve it for the journey home.

Upon reaching Beaufort, the grieving father honored his vow. The barrel, serving as an impromptu casket, was buried in the Old Burying Ground. Today, visitors to her grave leave tokens of affection—flowers, toys, and trinkets—paying homage to the "Rum Keg Girl." Some say that on quiet nights, a young girl's spirit can be seen playing among the tombstones, her laughter echoing softly through the ancient oaks Sound Effects by Lara Sluyter (LARA’S HORROR SOUNDS on YouTube)