Summary
Overview
Ash and Elena dive into the haunting that inspired The Conjuring, telling the story of the Perron family who moved into a 200-acre Rhode Island farmhouse in 1971 only to experience escalating paranormal activity. From unexplained noises and apparitions to physical attacks, the family endured a decade of terror that eventually brought Ed and Lorraine Warren into their lives. The hosts explore the family dynamics, the legend of Bathsheba Sherman, and how the haunting affected each family member differently.
The Perron Family and Move to the Farmhouse
Roger and Carolyn Perron married in 1957 and quickly started a family, eventually having five daughters. After experiencing rising crime in their Cumberland, Rhode Island neighborhood—including their dog's death, their cat's death, and a home break-in—Carolyn desperately wanted to move. Despite Roger's initial resistance, she found a 200-acre farmhouse in Harrisville and impulsively put down a deposit, eventually convincing Roger to make the move in January 1971.
- Roger and Carolyn Perron married in 1957 and had five daughters: Andrea, Nancy, Christine, Cynthia, and April
- The family's dog Bathsheba was tragically killed by a car, with all five girls witnessing the traumatic event
- Cumberland, Rhode Island experienced a 60% increase in violent crime between 1970-1974, making Carolyn desperate to leave
- Carolyn found a listing for a nine-room colonial farmhouse in Harrisville on 200 acres for $75,000 and scheduled a showing without Roger's permission
- The groundskeeper Mr. Kenyon gave them an ominous warning before they moved in: 'Leave the lights on at night. Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness'
" Leave the lights on at night. Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. "
" This is a wonderful place to raise a family. "
Early Paranormal Activity and April's Experience
Shortly after moving in, the family began experiencing strange occurrences. The house made constant unexplained noises, and they heard hushed talking from empty rooms. The activity escalated when four-year-old April woke from her nap claiming someone had slapped and pushed her while she slept. All four of her sisters were accounted for downstairs, and Carolyn herself had felt an oppressive presence in the house earlier that day.
- The house made constant creaking and groaning sounds that were excessive even by New England standards, and they never received keys because Mr. Kenyon said there was no need
- April told her mother she heard 'shit going crazy' upstairs, revealing even the youngest child was experiencing paranormal activity
- Carolyn experienced a heavy, dark presence while home alone with April that made the air feel thick
- April woke from her nap insisting someone had slapped her and she could hear their footsteps fleeing the room
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