PPenelope Pelham was born about 1630 in Bures, England to Herbert Pelham and Jemima Waldegrave. Penelope immigrated with her family to Cambridge, MA in 1639. She married Josiah Winslow, son of Mayflower passenger Edward Winslow in 1651. Josiah was the first native born General and Governor of the Colonies. Her son, Judge Issac Winslow built the Winslow House in 1699 on the same grounds granted to his grandfather, Edward in the original Pilgrim land grants.

Penelope first lived at Carswell with her in-laws Edward and Susanna Winslow. Even after Edwards death in 1655 Susanna continued to live with Penelope and Josiah for another 25 years. After Josiah died in 1680 (the same year that Susanna died) Penelope lived most of the remaining 25 year of her life with her son Issac and his wife Sarah Wensley in the house he built (Winslow House) on the Careswell grounds. It seemed that Penelope was destined to never be the exclusive mistress of the manor where she lived.

 

Penelope is believed to be the presents that is sometimes felt in Winslow House. Doors can close for no reason and footsteps are heard when no one is there. The Great Hall can turn icy cold on a hot summer’s day. Sometimes when one stands near Penelope’s portrait around 4:00 pm they can feel their hair raise and goose bumps form. The unexplained electrical failures in the house have been attributed to something beyond normal.

Most mysterious is the reappearing salt. During one summer little piles of salt would greet the museum hostess each morning in the summer kitchen. The salt would be swept up, only to reappear the next morning.

All of this promotes the belief that Penelope’s ghost graces the halls of the Winslow House in Mansfield, Massachusetts to this day. It is said to be her destiny to be the manor mistress that greets guests that visit the Winslow House and perform the roll for all eternity that was denied her in life.

Recent investigations by a local paranormal group revealed some interesting findings. They are quoted as saying, “During daylight hours the old house has a very pleasant and welcoming feel to it, but that all changes when night falls.” Their scientific equipment used to investigate the house showed readings significant temperature variations, “EMF” (Electro-Magnetic Force) and voices recorded (EVP, Electronic Voice Phenomenon) that are all believe to indicate paranormal activity.

They also had an encounter with an old chair. “We also had very strange activity with a certain old chair. We entered the dining room and began our EVP, but when we finished and went to leave the room, there was an old antique chair in the doorway. There's no way the chair could have been there while everyone was walking through that doorway.”

The Electronic Voice Phenomenon revealed one voice either whispering or crying but additional voice enhancement and analysis is needed to determine the sounds validity.

Their conclusion was; “We all came to the conclusion that the Issac Winslow house has at least one active spirit inhabiting it, and we believe it to be Penelope Winslow.”