Sadie Barcus-A Salineville Legend

 In 1888 near the Town of Salineville, there was a young woman named Sadie.  She love animals and had several dogs.  She was very shy and the townsfolk thought her a bit odd.  Perhaps too odd because Legend says that one night a group of people from Salineville went to Sadie's little cabin in the woods and accused her of being a witch.  They tied her to her bed and ushered all her dogs in the room with her.  They then locked them in and burned down the cabin down. 

Some say that if you go to the site of her home at midnight you can hear her screaming in agony as the fire engulfed her.  The howls of her dogs accompany her. 

This story is the Legend I first heard about in 2008 in a message on myspace. Since then we have discovered that Sadie or rather Sarah Barcus, really did exist.  She didn't die in 1888 however.  The year was 1947 and she was 93 years old.  It states on her death certificate that she was cremated in a house fire, along with her little terrier dog. 

Some how, from the real story sprang a legend of a witch and a haunting.  That is how many legends begin. Usually there is some little bit of truth where the Legend begins. 
Sadie's name is also used occasionally in the Maple Farm Murders story from the Salineville area as a hooker who was murdered and thrown into a latrine. I am still looking for an approximate date to look that one up at the library.  It happened in the 70s.  From what I understand, two men were murdered in a drug deal and cut up with a chain saw and thrown into an out house.   No women were involved in that one at all and yet her name is occasionally used in that story.
Sadie was a real person who loved  animals and was well loved in her community.  That needs to be said and remembered.  It is why we use the 1888 version of the story we have heard.  Her real name was Sarah, and that is also why we use Sadie.  We are looking for other stories about Salineville.  Another name given to us, claiming this woman to be a with is Elizabeth Costello.  Her grave is supposed to have chains around it.  We are looking to find it.  If you know where it might be, please let me know!