The Perron Family Haunting (The Conjuring House)
The true story behind 'The Conjuring.' The Perron family endured a decade of terror from multiple spirits, including the demonic witch Bathsheba.
The Perron Family Haunting
The farmhouse at 1677 Round Top Road became the subject of the most successful horror franchise in history. But for the Perron family, it was a decade of very real terror.
The Family
In 1971, Roger and Carolyn Perron moved into the 18th-century farmhouse with their five daughters:
- Andrea, Nancy, Christine, Cindy, and April
- They were unaware of the property’s dark history
- The haunting began almost immediately
The History
The house had seen tragedy for over 200 years:
- Multiple suicides
- A murder
- Children drowned in the well
- Deaths from disease
- At least eight generations of suffering
The Spirits
The Perrons encountered numerous entities:
The Benign Spirits
- A man smelling of apples
- A woman in a gray dress
- Children playing in the yard
- Most were peaceful presences
The Malevolent Presence: Bathsheba
Bathsheba Sherman (1812-1885) was the dark heart of the haunting:
- A suspected witch who lived on the property
- Allegedly sacrificed an infant to Satan
- Acquitted due to lack of evidence
- Her spirit targeted Carolyn specifically
Bathsheba would:
- Possess Carolyn, speaking in tongues
- Throw Carolyn across rooms
- Leave bruises and scratches
- Whisper threats at night
- Try to drive the family out
The Phenomena
The family experienced:
- Beds levitating off the floor
- Objects moving on their own
- Invisible entities pulling hair
- Footsteps throughout the house
- Cold spots and foul odors
- The sound of someone sweeping (an obsessive spirit)
- Doors slamming
- Voices calling their names
The Warrens’ Investigation
In 1974, Ed and Lorraine Warren investigated:
- Lorraine identified Bathsheba immediately
- They conducted a séance
- Carolyn became possessed during the séance
- She spoke in Latin, levitated
- Roger demanded the Warrens leave
- They had made things worse
Life After
The Perrons:
- Endured until 1980 before moving
- Andrea wrote three books about the experience
- All five daughters maintain their accounts
- “The Conjuring” (2013) is based on their story
The house:
- Subsequent owners have reported activity
- Now owned by paranormal investigators
- Open for overnight stays
“We wanted to believe that it would eventually end. It did not.” — Andrea Perron