Haunted Folklore: Spring Valley legend claims ‘Hatchet Man’ roams Lithuanian Liberty Cemetery

Editor’s note: Whether or not you believe in ghosts and hauntings, this is one of several spooky tales of local lore that Shaw Local News Network will be sharing with readers in the spirit of Halloween.

The Lithuanian Liberty Cemetery outside of Spring Valley is home to the Massock Mausoleum and, some say, a ghostly “hatchet man” and something that resembles a vampire.

Established in 1914, the cemetery is the resting place for many Eastern European immigrants and has fewer than 20 tombstones – many written in Polish, Lithuanian and other Slavic languages.

As the final resting place for the three Massock brothers, believed to be prominent members of the community and, of course, butchers, the mausoleum also has been home to whispers of a “hatchet man” guarding the grounds who threatens all who dare enter the cemetery at night.

Local legend claims the hatchet man may even hide in the ruins of the old Massock home, not far from the cemetery grounds. He is believed by some to be the ghost of the Massock estate’s old caretaker, who murdered his wife with an ax.

Another tale is one of “something weird and mysterious resembling a vampire.” In Rosemary Ellen Guiley’s book “The Complete Vampire Companion,” in the 1980s, a Vietnam veteran from Spring Valley visited the cemetery one night – expecting to find nothing.

“To their astonishment, they suddenly saw standing before them a ghastly figure. It was gaunt and pale and seemed to radiate a sensation of horrendous evil.”

The story claims the veteran fired five bullets at the figure – without effect. Guiley said a reporter from Chicago came to the cemetery to investigate. He poured holy water on the vents of the crypt and heard “painful groaning” from inside.

For years, speculation of the hauntings circulated, attracting multiple acts of vandalism.

According to The Streator Daily Time-Press, in September 1968 vandals threw a flammable substance into the mausoleum, charring the casket containing the remains of Anton Massock, whose body previously had been decapitated in another act of vandalism.

In that case, a local boy mounted the skull to the dashboard of his vehicle. Once word got out that the skull was real, police investigated and the persons responsible were prosecuted.

In 1969, the Streator Daily Times-Press reported the mausoleum had been struck again, and the casket containing the body of either Peter or Jacob Massock had been taken out and dropped into the aisle on top of the burned remains of Anton Massock.

The mausoleum was ordered to be sealed later that year, and the Streator Daily Times-Press reported both the skulls of Alex and Anton Massock were still missing when their brother Jacob was permanently entombed.

The vandalism continued over the years, Shaw Media reported in 2014. Police had been called to the cemetery when a dog’s head was found on the steps of the mausoleum. It had been sacrificed and burned.

The legend of the Massock Mausoleum seems to have stood the test of time, as the local police department regularly patrols the area for violators.

In the end, the only two pieces of advice can be given to someone who dares enter the grounds at night– bring vervain to weaken any potential vampires, and if the ghostly apparitions don’t strike fear in the hearts of any unsuspecting trespasser, the sheriff’s office might.