Copyright © 2015 Lois Hermann. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN13-softcover: 978-0-997-1567-0-6
ISBN13-ebook: 978-0-997-1567-1-3
Second printing, March 2016; First printing, August 2015
Light Publishing, c/o NH Health & Wellness Center, 60 Main Street, Suite 320,
Nashua, NH 03060
www.loishermann.com
603.402.9134
Cover photo illustration and author photograph by Marsha Vander Mey,
Harper Point Photography.
Children’s photographs with captions courtesy of Lewis W. Hine (1874-1940)
Printed in the United States
Dedication
This book is dedicated to the women who have lost their children, and the children who have lost their lives.
Prayer by Archangel Michael
“We ask for Protection, Healing and Empowerment Across all levels: Physical, Mental, Emotional, Spiritual, Psychic, Social, Professional, Financial and Sensual.
That all beings unite as One with Our Creator.”
Pronunciation
The New England Native word ‘Amoskeag’ is pronounced:
(ah-mos-kegg)
Acknowledgments
We would like to share our gratitude with those who have assisted in all aspects of this journey. From those who hired me to investigate, to those who helped with the physical investigation, we are ever grateful.
I am completely grateful to my wonderful husband for his strong support. He tolerated my obsession with this book during the long snowy winter as I spent endless hours on the computer researching, writing, and proofing. I am also deeply thankful for my adult children, Amber and Payton, who listened to me chatter on endlessly about the book, while offering me sound advice, wisdom, and insights. If they tired of me rambling on, they never showed it! I truly appreciate their role as the instigators who placed me on this guided path.
I am especially indebted to Peter for his insistence on writing this book and his dedication to the project. There were so many times while in trance that he observed in detail the heinous crimes, and felt the pain, anger, and sadness of the spirits. He was remarkably able to shake off the old energy, so as to be in the present moment. He was an amazingly open observer to the interesting world of spirit, as well as an excellent writer of the scenes he observed.
A heartfelt thank you to our editor, Nancy Birn Struckman from Editing for Style. She was so patient with us in this process and perfectly diligent with her efforts to make this confusing text accurate as well as readable.
I am sincerely grateful and amazed at all the assistance provided by the following wonderful BNI (Business Network International) partners and connections who made this book possible: Peter, who was a visitor at a meeting, Nancy, my wonderful editor, Carol Phillips and her wealth of knowledge, having recently published her book, 52 Simple Ways to Health, Art Siciliano, a land surveyor who offered advice on how to research the land, June Trisciani of J Ellen Design, an interior designer with a showroom in the mills who connected me with the director of the Millyard Museum, Attorney Nick Frasca who reviewed the book for me and introduced me to an experienced processing agent who investigated the ownership of the land, Sheryl Beaulieu who owns Be Day Spa in the mills that led us to the perfect place for the cover photo shoot, Daryl Johnson from SvenGrafik who graciously designed the cover graphics and web page, Ben Maurais and Timothy K. Wickham from E Print, Inc., for their expeditious and detailed formatting and print work…I am deeply indebted and sincerely grateful to each of you.
There were a few other wonderful people who were placed on our path to guide this book to completion: Marsha Vander May, the amazing photographer from Harper Point Photography was a delight to work with and an incredible artist in her craft, Jan Langer, from Langer Place in the mills, graciously offered her space for the photo, Arthur Deleault, a professor of mythological studies who conspired with me as to how to write a ghost story, and hats off to his young grandson, Lincoln, who was so into character with the photo shoot that he touched my heart, as I am sure he captivated you in the cover photo.
I am continually grateful for the people who have taught, trained and coached me with the techniques that I regularly use: Agnes Sallet, my hypnosis trainer and inspiring spiritual mentor, Albert Marotta, who shared his passion for the spirit release techniques, and Tim Shurr from Shurr Success Seminars, my incredible coach who keeps motivating me forward.
Peter and I so appreciate the many guiding Spirits and Archangels who led us, showed us, and taught us so much about this singular point in history. We were amazed by their insistence, tenderness, and strength.
We are deeply grateful to multitudes of people: the children, the youth, their mothers, fathers, and workers associated with the Manchester Mills. We are thankful to so many others around the world who have lost their lives in the name of progress, and to their loved ones as well. We are deeply indebted to all who have been wounded in the struggle for the evolution of our planet.
The names of many people, businesses, and places have been changed in this book to protect the identities of those who were concerned about being publicly involved. Since this unusual spiritual story may be controversial, we honor their insight, their assistance, and their right to remain anonymous.
We would like to acknowledge that the mill children’s photographs and captions in this book are the work of Lewis W. Hine, a teacher and photographer from the early 1900s who changed the face of history. His amazing photographs of working children were used to expose child exploitation, contributing to the movement to enforce child labor laws.
We have included images from the Manchester mills and have also included photos of mill workers from other places that we feel are equally representative of this time period.
We acknowledge that in the absence of concrete evidence to support the stories we were given in this book, the information gathered cannot be accepted as absolute fact. If anyone has corroborative information that can substantiate the names, dates or information in this book, we ask you to come forward to share your insights with everyone.
Thank you one and all.
Many blessings,
Lois & Peter
Lewis Hine self-portrait
Table of Contents
Foreword
Introduction
Part One - “What is Happening Here?”
Chapter 1 - A Christmas Dilemma
Chapter 2 - Psychic Advisers
Charts of Deaths & Injuries
Chapter 3 - Jack’s Nightmare
Chapter 4 - A Promise to David
Chapter 5 - Spirit Activity
Chapter 6 - Site “Seeing”
Chapter 7 - Mean Henry
Chapter 8 - Amanda’s Secret
Chapter 9 - Mike’s Terrible Job
Chapter 10 - Everything Forgotten
Part Two - “What About OUR Book?
Chapter 11 - Ten Years Pass
Chapter 12 - Falls, Breaks, and Visions
Chapter 13 - Historical Sketch of the Manchester Mills
A Historical Sketch of the Amoskeag Mills
Chapter 14 - Mill Children’s Stories
Dr. Michael Ward
Chapter 15 - We’ll Send Messages
Chapter 16 - Millyard Museum
Chapter 17 - Samuel’s Betrayal
Chapter 18 - Marie Shows Us the Mills
Chapter 19 - Map Guidance
Chapter 20 - Marie Goes Home
Chapter 21 - Two Little Girls
Chapter 22 - Mill Girls’ Stories
A Body In Boston
Sarah Furber’s fate
Fallout from the tragedy
Chapter 23 - Stone Graves
Chapter 24 - Land Owners
Chapter 25 - Gentle Rachel’s Guilt
Chapter 26 - Promises Kept
Epilogues: Rest in Light Young Heroes
Peter’s Epilogue
Lois’s Epilogue
Archangel Michael’s Last Words
About the Author
References
Reference Maps
Foreword
by Peter Paulson
“Do right—and risk the consequences.”
– Sam Houston, 1793–1863
I first met Lois Herman at a BNI meeting. Having never attended one of these before, I didn’t really have a clue as to what to expect. I had been job hunting for quite some time and was becoming more than just desperate. My hope and main mission of this day was that I might be introduced to someone who would lead me to a job.
The room was packed with people from all walks of life and I noticed an attractive woman at the next table, 20 or so years younger than me. There was something weird about her—in a good way, and I can’t explain why I was so focused on her. She had an honest, pleasant smile and seemed to be enjoying the conversation with her tablemate. She gave the impression that she was well-centered in life, comfortable in these surroundings, and at the risk of sounding spiritual, was at peace. I envied her—I truly wished that I could be at that much ease in life.
When she stood up, she introduced herself as Lois Hermann, Director and Success Coach, from Amherst Hypnosis Center. At this I really started paying attention, as I had begun to think lately that perhaps hypnosis might be a key to changing my never-ending 25-year run of bad luck. I’d been trying my best to listen to my hunches, or inner voice, but had become pretty much deaf to it. You know what these are—the thoughts that one has when looking for the quickest line at the supermarket. It’s the voice that tells you to pick a certain one, and for reasons known only to yourself, you end up picking another. And it always proves that you should have listened to that inner voice. Yet, you never seem to.
Over 35 years ago, I took a course in meditation and developing the ability to “program” one’s future. I excelled in it and used it over the following nine years to focus thought and energy. I created some amazing things in a pretty short period of time, including building three small businesses, authoring three books, building an airplane, and becoming an airshow pilot. A couple of magazines described me as an “up and coming entrepreneur.” It looked like all of the hard work that my wife and I had put in finally spelled a good future for us. Sadly, all of that learned ability was stomped out with the overwhelming onslaught of a 25-year span of the worst luck that the most award-winning writer couldn’t accurately describe. Being a shadow of my former self, I’d been reduced to nothing more than a hollow shell, foraging through the turnpike change in my 15 year old car to purchase two gallons of hellishly priced gasoline to get to this meeting. I was in desperate need of a job and totally miserable every waking and sleeping moment. Luckily, I do not drink, smoke, or do drugs, so I avoided all of the common pitfalls that people in this situation normally descend to. I needed help, and this time, the inner voice wasn’t telling me which line to go to at the supermarket—it was hitting me square in the head, telling me this person at the next table was the key to recovery.
After the meeting was over, Lois was involved in a conversation with several people, so I mingled with a few folks making sure that I didn’t get too tangled up in a conversation, all the while keeping a watchful eye. There was only one doorway into this area and I positioned myself by this sole entry door—I wasn’t going to let Lois get away without getting her card. I needn’t have worried, because after 20 minutes or so, Lois came out of the room and walked straight to me, as if on rails. There was something about her look that told me that I should go for it…in a non-committal sort of way. I wanted her card, nothing more, giving me the option to back out should I lack the intestinal fortitude to see it through.
So here she was standing in front of me, and well into the introduction pleasantries, I was able to study her up close. Did I mention that she had a pleasant smile? Looking into her eyes, I could see that there was something special about her—she seemed to have the same glow that my aunt had, who had recently passed away. My aunt was incredibly special, and had always had a magical way about her. Ever since I can remember, she has never been too far away in my thoughts. And now, here Lois had the same look. Somehow I could tell that I could trust her, that she would provide the help that I desperately needed. Not really paying much attention to what she had been saying, I told her that I had been thinking of consulting a hypnotist, to see if he or she could change my luck—maybe at the very least, program me to better accept all the bad things that have happened, and move on in life.
My life is full of the most unbelievable stuff—a father/business partner whose later actions bordered on lunacy, and with his behind-my-mother’s-back girlfriend, transformed a very close father/son relationship into something that was venomous and toxic. And of course, the business, which represented everything my wife and I had worked so hard to build for 15 years, disappeared into this new family’s ownership upon my mother’s death (she owned all of the stock). To make all of this even more unbelievable, through his boyhood connections, my father had a friend in one of the larger crime families in the northeast, which resulted in occasional threats from his mob buddies, should I try to gain my business back.
Being in business for one’s self gives you the right not to get paid, and what little profit was realized went to my father. So, after averaging a meager paycheck only once a month for all of that time, and now without the business, I became behind in just about every kind of debt that a family can incur. And to make all of this even more interesting, my wife and I lived in a haunted house that for the last 38 years was sure to never show a dull evening. With the disappearance of the business and the resulting frustration and anger for a number of years, it stirred the house up beyond imaginable proportions, it went from ghostly pranks to really evil stuff.
I asked Lois, “Do you deal in baggage?” She looked me square in the eye, and in a comforting tone said, “That’s what I do. Baggage is my specialty.” She produced her card and despite my best efforts not to be committal, she worked me into agreeing to see her for a first session, at no charge. “Oh, yeah, right,” the cynical side of me told myself. “She is probably going to hypnotize me into seeing her twice a week at $250 an hour.”
Hence, this is how my association and my highly valued friendship with Lois started. She began helping me on the very first visit, and by the end of that first day I could actually feel the heavy weight of bad luck begin to lighten. In the time that I have spent with her, she has reignited meditative abilities that I once had, and showed me that as a person, I still have the strength and ability to cope with life’s vengeful turns. With her help, I confirmed what I’ve suspected about the disturbed ground that my beat-up house occupies, and calmed a good portion of the restless spirits that use it as their gathering place.
Some eight years previously, I luckily crossed paths with a Methodist pastor, who after hearing my story introduced me to a Shaman friend of hers. Upon telling my story to him and at my insistence, he came to my house and performed a Shamanic Intervention, complete with tambourine, drum, feathers, burning sage, and chants. The change was instant and dramatic. In the time that I’ve known him, he has always made himself available to me, usually at a seafood restaurant that we both enjoy. The hours spent there, with us often being the last patrons to leave, have been incredibly beneficial to my wife, son, and myself. We owe him a great, great deal. I consider him to be more than a friend—he came running to my aid when he didn’t even know me. I don’t know if I can ever repay his kindness, friendship and timely help. He has often suggested that I should learn to journey, but time and the many miles that separated us have always put it on the back burner.
Journeying is when one obtains a meditative state and “travels” to another location and/or time; some people refer to this as “remote viewing.” In my experience, these “journeys” have been conducted with help from a Spirit Guide and can be quite vivid.
Now, as Lois and I got to know each other better, she told me a story about the 19th century children workers of the Amoskeag Mills in Manchester, New Hampshire, and all too often their horrible fates when they became injured while performing their duties. This was a time before child labor laws, which we see as a standard today. Children, who could be hired for much less than an adult, could easily gain access to the drive mechanisms and machinery of the mills, to maintain them. Powered by water, the machinery couldn’t be stopped if an arm or leg became caught in the pulleys or leather drive belts.
At that time, with the huge mass of humanity pouring into Manchester desperate for work, unwanted children were often the result. The orphanages were overflowing with children and many of them who worked at the mills were simply disposed of when they suffered a debilitating injury. At the time, it was something that only a few people knew the truth about, some suspected, and the majority didn’t discuss.
She told me an incredible story of how some 10 years earlier she first learned of this through one of her clients and started investigating the spiritual side of the story. But with the loss of interest from those who hired her, the project stalled. Once I heard that, I felt that there must have been a higher purpose that steered me to her, and I offered my help in whatever capacity that I could. With her guidance, I made a number of journeys to learn the story about these cast-off children of the Amoskeag Mills, in the 1800s—the “mill rats,” as they were known in their day.
My participation in this book starts in the second half. The journeys that I’ve conducted under Lois’s guidance have proven to be amazingly accurate and equally fascinating for their historical views. These “spiritual travels” into the past were awe inspiring, joyous, graphically shocking, horribly cruel, captivating, tearful…and reverent. As a history buff, it was special to travel back in time, taking a glimpse of what life was like in the late 1800s. I met a spirit whom I connected with so well, that I could never forget her—or equally, for the high-speed tour she took me on of the Amoskeag Millyard circa 1874. As you will read, the spirits I met told me their stories, causing me to actually feel their emotions, which was at times overpowering. For me, acting as the conduit to that time was as real as it gets.
I am truly honored to have participated in the creation of this book, and to have had one of just a few streaks of good fortune in an otherwise very bad quarter-century, to have met Lois. She is a healer, one that can skillfully adjust a person’s life’s course, using hindsight and knowledge that only a person who has personally suffered can offer. This is so much more than a ghost story. I ask that you carefully absorb this book, to visualize the trip back in time, and to view the human anguish—to a time where common life was much different and far more difficult than we can imagine today.
Peter Paulson – New Hampshire, 2015
Introduction
by Lois Hermann
“Twenty years from now you will be disappointed by the things you didn’t do, than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
– Mark Twain (1835-1910)
How it all began…
My personal and professional clients know me as a success coach, a consulting hypnotist…someone who helps people achieve their goals. I am also known by some as one who helps shift spiritual energies. But it has not always been that way. For years, I considered myself an ordinary medical professional with a wonderful career in diagnostic imaging that was exciting, interesting and rewarding.
That said…I am a survivor. In early 1990, I left a very unhealthy marriage, where I had been exposed to a lot of negative energy. With the help of a kind priest I navigated through the change. I moved through the challenging divorce process, which involved 17 court hearings and trials, lasting several years. My life began again in late 1991, when my daughter was seven and my son was four. Hewlett-Packard Medical Products Group hired me to create educational programs for the ultrasound systems that were being developed in Andover, Massachusetts. So, I left a medical management position in Knoxville, Tennessee, and moved to New England. My little family was about to embark on an entirely new adventure, far away from the support of our family and friends.
Exhausted from the drama of the divorce, my young children and I looked forward to creating our new life together. We settled into a nice rental home in a comfortable and established neighborhood in Westford, Massachusetts.
One day my daughter Amber started talking about a lady who would come and sing to her in the middle of the night. She was not afraid, just curious about who the lady was. Amber spoke about her often. Given their past, I had been advised by counselors to be aware of the sensitivity of my children and to take care to listen to them with openness and without bias.
During a conversation with my new neighbor, Karen, I discovered that my current landlord had previously lived in our house with his wife, a brilliant mathematician named Judy. It seems Judy’s escape from the domestic abuse her husband subjected her to, was to shoot herself in the head…in our basement! So very sad. I often wondered why I had been mysteriously drawn to that house. At the time of Judy’s death, she had a daughter who was my daughter Amber’s age. All too familiar with domestic abuse, I felt strangely connected with Judy and wondered what to do about the situation. Karen encouraged me to contact another neighbor, Agnes, who was what she described as a “healer.” She felt that Agnes would be able to help me…and Judy.
I invited Agnes to visit so that she could bless our home. She brought along a long-time family friend, Father Paul, who was the chaplain at a nearby hospital. He was fondly called Abbah by Agnes and her eight children. Agnes and Abbah came for dinner and we had a wonderfully insightful evening. When they got up to leave, I asked if they were going to bless the house. They said, “No, we’ve been given insight that you are to learn how to do this on your own.” You can imagine my shock! What do I know about this sorta stuff?!
Armed with their sage advice, I planned what I was to do later that night. Waiting until the house was quiet, I sat on the steps outside of the locked attic door that led to Judy’s abandoned belongings. Coincidentally, Judy’s door was adjacent to Amber’s bedroom. I lit a candle, paying close attention to Agnes’s instructions, took a deep breath, and had an imaginary conversation with Judy. Feeling a little awkward, I told Judy that her daughter was all grown now and doing very well. I let her know that this was my daughter, Amber, and that I would be here to take care of her. I told Judy that her job was done and that it was time for her to go into the light. I felt a shudder and some chilly goose bumps on my arms…waited a few minutes, blew out the candle, and went to bed.
A few days later, I asked Amber if the lady was still coming to sing to her at night. She thought for a minute, then responded, “No…but there’s a little boy.” Sigh…one spirit after another came to see Amber…while I learned to gently help them into the light.
During this same period of time, my five year old son was having extreme migraines and night terrors. The doctors suggested a medication that “might” help his headaches, yet might also damage his heart. Instead, I opted to learn Reiki from Agnes. When the headaches would start, he would come running to me, saying “Mamma, put your hands on my head. It hurts.” Soon, he would fall asleep in my lap and wake up later, headache free. The migraines went from almost daily occurrences, to weekly, to monthly, and then stopped altogether.
To help with his night terrors, I went on to learn hypnosis from Agnes. When we said his nightly prayers I would ask him to imagine sleeping in the clouds, surrounded and protected by the angels. His night terrors dissipated and he was able to sleep soundly.
During this time, I was working for HP Medical Products Group as a corporate trainer and clinical expert on the design teams for ultrasound systems. When a peer would comment about a fear or habit, I would offer to help them using the interesting new hypnosis techniques I was learning. Scheduling conference rooms at lunch, I helped many of my associates get over their fears of flying or heights, and resolve issues like stress or nail biting. I was amazed at how well the techniques worked and knew that one day I would pursue hypnosis as a full time profession.
My children were the original catalysts for my journey into holistic health, hypnosis, and spiritual discovery. For the next twenty years, while building a solid career in medical management, I continued to study, trained with experts, read everything I could, and learned numerous techniques to use in all aspects of hypnosis, including spiritual-based hypnosis. I truly enjoyed sharing hypnosis, Reiki, and other wellness techniques to help people with their issues. Regardless of whether I focused on these techniques full time, part time or just as a favor to a friend, I always loved helping people to succeed. In 2012, I finally made the decision to leave a corporate level position to follow my passion. I opened Amherst Hypnosis Center, now NH Health & Wellness Center, where I truly enjoy helping people achieve their goals.
In my hypnosis coaching business, I assist people with stress, fear, worry, pain, confidence, weight management, and so much more. While working with everyday people, I am trained to know if a spirit shows up. At that point, the spirit becomes my client…I help them resolve their confusion, and guide them into the light.
When it comes to these earthbound spirits, I simply consider myself the shipping department. I am intuitive, yet not psychic…I don’t see spirits and don’t hear them. Most spirits can be described as what the Catholic Church calls the “lost souls of purgatory.” Usually they are people who are unresolved with their deaths, having died suddenly, sadly, or angrily. They are most often lost and confused. While working with Spirit Guides and Archangels, I help the earth-bound spirits to find their way into the light. Interestingly, once the spirit is gone, the original concern that the client came to see me for begins to resolve quite rapidly.