The hauntings of Nelly Butler are considered the first recorded ghost story in American history (LiBrizzi 5), and perhaps the most exciting hauntings to date as it still remains many unsolved mysteries. The apparition appeared more than 30 times before more than 100 witnesses in Sullivan, Maine, a little over fifteen years after the American Revolution (5-6). Although Nelly Butler's apparition was one of the most convincing ghosts of all time, she was the subject of suspicion of fraud. These claims prove to be unfounded as the evidence reveals that the ghost is genuine. Although there is little information about Nelly Butler during her life, evidence collected from when Nelly was alive suggests that she was a kind woman. An interesting tidbit about Nelly during her lifetime was given by her spirit when she explained that she had received a spiritual salvation experience on her deathbed, perhaps the reason she returned to Sullivan (" Testimony » 101). Nelly was legally named Eleanor Hooper and was born on April 25, 1776 (“Genealogical” 115). Her parents were David and Joanna Hooper and she had eight siblings (115 years old). Sometime in 1795, Nelly married George Butler at the age of nineteen and lived at Butler's Point in Franklin, Maine (115). While giving birth to their first child, Nelly died tragically on June 13, 1797, followed shortly after by her baby (115 years old). Although there are no headstones to confirm this, Nelly's grave is said to be at Butler's Point in Franklin, next to her child and husband (LiBrizzi 8). Three years after Nelly's death, she still seemed to have business dealings with the world of the living. The specter's main goal was to arrange Georg's marriage...... middle of paper ......tion was given by the spirit which only spoke between her and one other person at the era of his life. The spirit appeared and sounded like Nelly Butler as she did when she was alive and even allowed witnesses to get as close as they wanted, allowing them to find evidence of foul play. Where the idea of ​​fraud falls apart is when the apparition changes form, there is no evidence strong enough to give a reasonable argument that it is anything other than Nelly Butler's mind who caused this. The testimony provided by George Butler must be the strongest testimony available; he actually managed to reach through the apparition and converse on a subject that only he and Nelly had discussed during his lifetime. With all the evidence gathered, a strong case was made that the spirit that haunted Sullivan was truly the spirit of Nelly Butler..