Mary Roff was born in Warren County, Indiana in 1846 to Asa and Ann Roff. As an infant, she began experiencing fits. The medical term for a fit is a sudden and violent attack often caused by a medical malady. We often associate convulsions and unconsciousness with fits. The Roffs then moved to Watseka, Illinois.

When Mary was 18, she cut her arm with a knife. She passed out from blood loss and lay unconscious for several hours. She spent the next five days experiencing violent convulsions. Although she recovered, the convulsions continued for another year. Mary Roff died on July 5, 1865.

This wouldn’t be Mary Roff’s final appearance.

In April 1864, Mary Lurancy Vennum was born to Thomas and Lurinda Vennum in Milford, Illinois. She lived with no fanfare until she was 13. In July 1877, she told her parents about a strange encounter. On the previous night, she saw ghostly people in her room staring at her. They said Rancy! Rancy! Mary felt them breathing on her face.

On July 11, 1877, a few days after her paranormal encounter with the spirits, Mary told her mother she felt strange. She passed out and was unconscious for five hours. The next day she went into a trance. She claimed to have seen her dead brother, sister and other deceased people she knew.

For the next several months, the strange trances continued. Her parents became concerned and thought Mary might be going mad. They considered placing her in an asylum.

Asa and Ann Roff, acquaintances of the Vennum family, knew a doctor from Janesville, Wisconsin named E.W. Stevens. They felt Dr. Stevens could help their daughter. On January 3, 1878, Dr. Stevens arrived at the Vennum home with Asa Roff.

Mary Vennum was disturbed. She told Dr. Stevens that she had gone to Heaven. Then after entering Heaven, evil spirits had possessed her body. One spirit was named Rancy.

Dr. Stevens told Mary to allow a good spirit to enter her body. Mary said a dead girl named Mary Roff wished to come through. The doctor asked the teenager to allow Mary Roff to enter her body. Mary Roff, the deceased daughter of the Roffs, had died years ago. Mary Vennum allowed Mary Roff to enter her body.

Mary Vennum, now inhabited by Mary Roff said she wanted to go home to her parents—the Roffs. Both families honored the girl’s request. On February 11, 1878, Mary Vennum moved into the Roff home and lived as Mary Roff. She stayed for three months.

The Roffs said Vennum acted just like their dead daughter. She recognized former friends, relatives, her old room, clothing, and her possessions. Even more interesting was she had Mary Roff’s memories! It seemed unlikely this was a hoax since it would have been impossible for Mary Vennum to know so much about the late Mary Roff.

Dr. Stevens documented this strange supernatural mystery. During a conversation with the teenager, he mentioned the incident when Mary Roff had cut her arm. She tried to show the scar to the doctor, but then realized it wasn’t her body.

The teenager told Dr. Stevens she couldn’t show him the scar because her arm was in a grave with the rest of her body. She even knew her burial spot. On May 7, Mary Vennum experienced another change.

After three months, she came out of her trance and returned to her body. As expected, she became frightened because she didn’t recognize her surroundings. She insisted on going back home to the Vennums.

Within minutes, Mary Roff re-emerged. From May 7 to May 21, Mary Roff had returned to the body of Mary Vennum. The possession ended when Mary Roff announced she needed to re-enter the spirit world. She then said goodbye to her parents and friends before leaving.

Afterward, Mary Vennum returned home to her parents. Occasionally, Mary Roff’s spirit returned for brief moments, but Vennum experienced no lasting issues from her ordeal. This strange event is called the Watseka Wonder.

Today, people still study this case. Over the years, skeptics have tried to disprove it with no success. No one can explain this case and probably never will. I think it was an act of love from Mary Roff. She had died at 18 and had unfinished business. Losing a child has to be the worst and most painful experience for any parent.

I consider the Roffs fortunate. They received a second chance with their daughter. Although I have no logical explanation for this matter, the Roff and Vennum families called it a miracle.

Marc is a longtime resident of Clermont County and avid reader. He can be contacted through his website at www.themarcabe.com, through Facebook: www.facebook.com/themarcabe or his Twitter account @themarcabe. And be sure to listen to his podcast at www.spreaker.com/show/the-marcabe.