meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Grave Talks | Haunted, Paranormal & Supernatural

The Séance at the Roff House and the Watseka Wonder, Part Two | Guest Larry Eissler III

The Grave Talks | Haunted, Paranormal & Supernatural

Ghost Stores, Haunted, Paranormal & Supernatural Stories

Personal Journals, Natural Sciences, Society & Culture, Religion & Spirituality, Science, Spirituality

4.62.2K Ratings

🗓️ 12 February 2026

⏱️ 31 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This is PART TWO.

Award-winning filmmaker, author, and historian Larry Eissler III joins The Grave Talks to discuss his latest documentary projects centered on one of the most famous and controversial paranormal cases in American history—the Watseka Wonder.

Larry shares insight into The Séance and The Séance: Bloodlines, both filmed on location at the historic Roff House, where the original events took place. Working with paranormal investigators and psychic mediums, the films combine historical documentation with modern séance work in an effort to better understand what happened there.

The Watseka Wonder dates back to the late 1870s, when teenage girl Lurancy Vennum fell ill and claimed the spirit of a deceased girl, Mary Roff, had taken control of her body. She spoke as Mary, recognized her family, and lived for weeks as someone else entirely.

No clear explanation has ever emerged—and nearly 150 years later, the case continues to raise unsettling questions.

For more information, click here.

#TheGraveTalks #WatsekaWonder #RoffHouse #ParanormalHistory #Seance #HauntedIllinois #LarryEisslerIII #TrueParanormal #GhostStories #AmericanHauntings

Love real ghost stories? Want even more?

Become a supporter and unlock exclusive extras, ad-free episodes, and advanced access:
🍏 Apple Premium: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ad-free-advance-a-ghostly-playlist/id880791662?i=1000723754502
🤝 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/realghoststories

Stay connected with us on social:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ghostpodcast/
🎶 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realghoststoriesonline
📘 Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RealGhostStoriesOnline/ 

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Today on The Grave Talks, we continue our conversation with filmmaker Larry Isler the Third about the seance at the Ruff House and the Watsika Wonder.

0:11.2

Now, when you were originally doing the first movie, documentary, you weren't planning on the second one.

0:18.7

No, this is supposed to be a one and done. So that one was more the first one, the second one. No. At that time. This is supposed to be a one and done.

0:21.3

So that one was more, the first one, the seance.

0:25.1

That was more setting up the history of what has happened here, the house.

0:32.2

What was then the idea to do a really large seance like that?

0:36.5

Because like I said, you know, my,

0:40.1

my involvement with seances is non-existent really.

0:44.6

So I kind of just have pictures of it like, you know, Mary Todd Lincoln.

0:49.7

But so I think of them as being small.

0:52.7

Right.

0:53.6

So I never thought of having a seance with that many people.

0:56.9

So how did that idea come about?

0:59.5

Most people, when we say it was 150 seance, 150 person seance, they were like, what?

1:05.5

Oh, my God.

1:06.5

Like, yeah, it's a lot.

1:08.4

It's a lot of people.

1:10.0

And of all those people, Dieette channeled approximately 30-something spirits.

1:15.1

So, you know, she didn't channel 150 spirits, but 30-something spirits within an hour is a lot, too.

1:21.3

That's a lot, a lot.

1:22.7

You know, the original plan for this was to hold a seance but it was going to be smaller but not as

1:30.7

small as the one that you know we just held but you know medium we'll call it medium sized right you know

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Ghost Stores, Haunted, Paranormal & Supernatural Stories, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Ghost Stores, Haunted, Paranormal & Supernatural Stories and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.