Completed in 1871 for Michael C. Finney and family, the house on North Second Street in Atchison has a fascinating history that includes quite a few deaths.

Michael died in the house soon after moving in, on September 27, 1872, at the age of 51. His widow, Kate, was pregnant at the time of his death with a son, Edwin, who died in the home on September 29, 1874. Kate and Michael had two other sons and a daughter as well.

The eldest son, James, moved to St. Louis in 1881 and worked in manufacturing. He passed away in 1900 at a hospital in Leavenworth, Kansas from paresis of the brain.

His brother, Charles worked as a bookkeeper for a while. He also won a gold medal in 1883 for best couple skater with Florence Guerrier. Oddly, in 1885, an announcement in the local paper announced an upcoming ice skating competition, open to all – except Charley Finney. He received his M.D. degree in 1894, and married in 1904.

Charles H. Finney was born in 1907 to Charles C. and his wife, Louise Zibold. In 1913, Charles C. was elected Mayor of Atchison that year, but removed from office due to a scandal in 1916. Dr. Charles Finney passed away in 1947 at the age of 82.

In 1913, Charles’ sister, Agnes, married a railroad engineer, William True, who passed away five years later at the house on North Second Street after suffering a stroke.

Kate passed away in the house in 1918 at the age of 62. Agnes continued living in the house until she passed away in the house in 1939 at the age of 79.

A variety of people lived in the house throughout the years after this time, including a little girl named Sallie in 1948, but she is still alive. In 1990, the Humbard family lived in the house. Their daughter, Heather, talked about her friend, “Sallie,” always considered by her parents to be imaginary. There is a rumor that a little girl named Sallie did die in the house while being treated by Dr. Finney, but that has not been verified.

In 1992, Tony and Debra Pickman rented the house. Soon after they move in, they notice odd anomalies in photographs they take inside the home, cold spots, toys move around the nursery on their own, electrical appliances turn themselves on and off, and the family photos are found turned upside down.

One day, Tony turned around from the kitchen sink, and saw a little girl 3 feet from him. He also began to experience scratches on his body. During one investigation conducted by the television show Sightings, scratches appeared on Tony’s stomach while being filmed. Sometimes they were deep bleeding welts; and, at one point, the initials MC appeared on his back…Michael C. Finney? Tony was attacked on 11 separate occasions in front of researchers.

During several professional paranormal investigations conducted, it was determined by psychic Peter James that a little girl named Sallie lived in the house. Upon his arrival, before entering the house, he saw the face of a little girl in the upstairs window. James felt that there were at least three entities in the house.

After two years, the Pickmans called it quits and moved out of the house on North Second Street.



References and additional information:

https://www.prairieghosts.com/sallie.html

https://www.thesalliehouse.com

https://www.hauntin.gs/Sallie-House-Sallie-The-Heartland-Ghost-North-2nd-Street-Home_Atchison_Kansas_United-States_1059

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWG6TQRrWK0