Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Video: The Ghost of Henry Ward Beecher Is In Brooklyn
By
Jen Carlson
Published Oct 23, 2015
Modified Oct 23, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Oct 23, 2015
Modified Oct 23, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Beecher's statue outside of Plymouth Church. (Photo by Wally G)
Henry Ward Beecher's frisky spirit is still lurking around Brooklyn Heights—according to some, he's haunting Plymouth Church, where he was the first pastor, starting in 1847. Beecher was a good guy, known for his support of the abolition of slavery, so you probably don't need to fear his ghost... however, in the 1870s he found himself in the center of a scandal. Beecher was the subject of a famous adultery trial, after allegedly having an affair with his friend Theodore Tilton's wife, Elizabeth (something she confessed to). Back in those days, one could sue for such a thing! And Theodore Tilton did just that.
For more on the backstory, here's Andrea Janes of Boroughs of the Dead:
One of the first documented sightings of Beecher's ghost was printed in Everybody's Magazine, a Brooklyn publication that ran from 1899 to 1929—it stated: "The ghost of Henry Ward Beecher has appeared to a former friend, and confided himself in his message to complaining that a certain coin, known as 'the widow's mite,' had not been returned to him." The ghost made no mention of a scandal.
This was one of the biggest sex scandals of its time, a famous "he said, she said" case that not only got plenty of ink at the time (here's one lengthy NY Times article), but has been the subject of books since.
It all ended with a hung jury, and Beecher was exonerated, but he still had to deal with the court of public opinion, and a scandal tainting his legacy. Though it's worth noting that if Beecher's spirit is still lingering because of all this, it's lingering in close proximity to not one, but two statues erected in tribute to him.
Janes runs her Boroughs of the Dead tours year round, in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens (with tours in the Bronx and Staten Island coming up soon).
Video by Jessica Leibowitz.
Tagged
andrea janes
boroughs of the dead
brooklyn heights
ghost
henry ward beecher
plymouth church
original
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
The Knicks are NBA champions. Now they have to start dressing the part.
Before they attempt to fend off LeBron James and the 76ers on Tuesday, the Knicks will have a chance to show off their winning mentality through their tunnel fits.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 19, 2026
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Arts & Entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .