10/11/2025 Haunted Locations: The Roff House in Watseka, Illinois

Happy Spooky Saturday!

Today, we'll take a look at The Roff House in Watseka, Illinois.

(“Spend a Night in the Haunted Roff House the Watseka Wonder”) and (Chang) were huge resources for this blog post, so I would like to take a second to send my gratitude for them. All resources and citations can be found at the end of this post!

For decades, the Roff House, famously known as the 'Watseka Wonder,' has intrigued many with its paranormal events dating back to the mid-1800s. Built in 1868, the Roff House is believed to be the site of America's first documented case of spirit possession. Even today, unsettling phenomena continue within its walls.

Could the same restless spirits that once brought national attention to Watseka still linger in the shadows of the Roff House?

Here's a timeline outlining the Roff House’s history:

• 1846:

Asa and Dorothy Roff of northern Illinois had a daughter, Mary, who suffered from persistent health issues. Born in 1846, Mary experienced strange spells, trances, and seizures that led to her being institutionalized. She was also believed to have psychic abilities, such as reading while blindfolded and communicating with the dead.

• 1865:

Mary Roff died suddenly in 1865 at just 19 years old, leaving behind many unanswered questions about her strange illnesses and mysterious abilities. After her death, her parents, Asa and Dorothy Roff, stopped building their new home in Watseka for three years due to their grief. When they eventually finished the house in 1868, it was sturdy but felt devoid of life, with an atmosphere of emptiness lingering throughout.

In the 1870s, Asa Roff became aware of another young girl in the area who was experiencing similar symptoms, such as seizures, trances, and unexplained speech, which led the family to notice striking parallels between the two cases.

• 1877:

A 13-year-old local girl named Lurancy Vennum started experiencing symptoms like those previously shown by Mary. Asa visited her in hopes of preventing a similar outcome. During this time, Lurancy claimed to be Mary Roff. Although initially skeptical, Asa was persuaded due to Lurancy's knowledge of details from Mary's life with the family.

Asa and Dorothy came to believe that their daughter had returned through Lurancy. E. W. Stevens, identified as a spiritualist doctor, examined Lurancy and concluded that she was possessed by Mary's spirit.

• 1878:

After Lurancy Vennum started showing behaviors that were signs of spiritual possession, the Roff family welcomed her into their home to help her recover and better understand what was happening. While living with the Roff’s, Lurancy often acted in ways believed to be linked to the spirit of Mary Roff. Some worried that Mary's spirit would permanently take over Lurancy's identity. However, after several months, she told the Roff family she felt weaker and thought Mary's spirit would soon leave. Shortly afterward, while still at the Roff residence, Lurancy seemed to regain her own identity; she reportedly couldn't remember how she got there or what had happened and then returned to live with her family.

Occasionally, Lurancy visited the Roff household again. During these visits, seances were held where Mary was said to deliver brief messages.

• 1939:

Once the 'Watseka Wonder' ended, the Roff family returned to relative normalcy. After their deaths, lawyer C.W. Raymond owned the house until 1939, followed by his stepdaughter Katherine Clifton in the mid-1900s.

Subsequent owners let the property deteriorate, and by 2000, the historic Roff House was in poor condition and at risk of neglect.

• 2005:

In 2005, the Roff House underwent new ownership focused on restoration. Over the next 15 years, significant efforts were made to return the property to its 19th-century condition through detailed work.

By the 2020s, the house had become an inn styled after a bed and breakfast and received a preservation award in 2020 for the restoration.

Also, in recent years, the Roff House has appeared in films and television programs. The 2009 film The Possessed depicts the story of the Watseka Wonder and was filmed locally. The house has also been featured on the Travel Channel show Ghost Brothers.

So, tell me. Have you heard of this location before? Have you been there? Would you go? Let me know in the comments. And as always, if you do decide to visit here or any haunted location, respect the property, respect the owners, respect the residents... living or dead.

For more details about this story, how you can visit, and links to the shows, podcasts, and documentary can all be found below.

RESOURCES:

“Roff House, Watseka | Landmarks Illinois.” Landmarks Illinois, 9 Sept. 2020, www.landmarks.org/preservation-programs/richard-h-driehaus-foundation-preservation-awards/roff-house-watseka/.

“Spend a Night in the Haunted Roff House the Watseka Wonder.” Haunted US, 16 May 2024, hauntedus.com/illinois/roff-house-haunted/. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Chang, Eric. “The Roff House: Not Your Typical Haunted House.” History Defined -, 15 Dec. 2022, www.historydefined.net/roff-house/. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.