In the landscape of Oklahoma legends and myths one tale continues to rise to the top and be repeated periodically. A scanning of websites with the story produces at least a dozen sites repeating the tale of the ghost of the house which now holds the Stone Lion Inn.
Sans any stories of hauntings prior to the early 1980's, the house had been a home and once a funeral home. The charming and heartbreaking tale of a little girl who stayed to play in the halls and stairs of the old house were shared with the sadness of life cut short at such a young age.
The
childish ghost was said to be
Augusta Houghton, the 8 yr old daughter of Fred and Bernice Houghton. She had died from an accidental overdose of cough medicine given by a nurse or maid. The story assumed a life of its own, repeated despite local researchers indicating they could not find a record of such a death.
Independently researchers from
OKPRI and
Cullan Hudson, author of Strange State came to the conclusion the specter, if there, could not be Augusta. Owner, Beth Luker, would later admit to making a mistake in naming Augusta, but by then the story had assumed a life of its own. Repeated by writers and paranormal researchers without fact checking, the story became enmeshed in the folkloric weave of the state.
What was the truth?
Searching US Federal Census records revealed in 1900 in Guthrie, Logan Co., OK a family living at 702 Noble Avenue. Fred E. Houghton (1854-1943), his wife Bertha (1872-1958), his children Grace (1885), Gladys (1896), Alma (1899), Augusta (b.1892, Sept), and Frank E. (1900) were enumerated on the census.
In 1910, the family is living at 1016 W. Warner Street (the location of the present inn). There is no Augusta listed on the 1910 census, although children Grace, Gladys, Alma, Frank E., Adolphe (1903), Dorthy (1907), Russell (1908), and Irene (1910) are listed.
In 1910, Augusta was no doubt the young 18 yr old woman listed in the Wichita, Ks census of students attending Mt. Caramel Academy.
The family is found again on the 1920 Census for Logan County and is enumerated in 1930 in Enid, OK, where daughter Alma had married into the Suddeth family and is listed with son David at the West Main address.
Rootsweb, a genealogy website, indicated a family history record for a Coralee Augusta, daughter of Fred and Bertha Houghton, born Sept. 17, 1892 and who married in 1913 a William Houser.
The only child NOT carried over through the ever expanding family listed on the US Federal Census was daughter Irene, listed as newborn in the 1910 census when the family lived at 1016 W. Warner, Guthrie.
A death record has not been located for the Irene Houghton listed on that 1910 census and so caution should be exercised. One website assumed she died the same year as the census because of the -0- listed by her age but that was often used for children/infants under the 1 year mark. There are questions to be answered because an infant could not be the 'child' presence noted by so many '
research teams.' She is not listed on several genealogical websites, although they site the census record where she is listed. And strangely, Coralee Augusta is not listed on several such websites despite citations referring back to the census of 1900.
If Irene was the 7-8 yr old who died, then a death record or grave should exist for her from the 1917-1918 time period. Since the family is enumerated on the 1920 census in Guthrie, then the likely place of death could be there. However, she had older sisters who were already married and could have been living elsewhere with them during the census. Assumptions cannot be made until verified by documentation.
The urban legend of "Augusta" is a classic example of the need for real, in-depth historical research to ferret out the truth from the tall tales and guesswork.
It has always been the silent voices, the untold stories, the hidden truths and the buried subtexts which have appealed as I began delving into history. Those invisible, ghost-like people that "society" often tried to silence, make go away, or simply destroy. The life of a poverty stricken yet strong 12 year African-American girl from Muskogee, Oklahoma name Sarah Rector, is just such a tale. Walking the dangerous balancing beam of crafting her future as sharks of racism, greed, and self-doubt trolled her early years, she has much to share with modern women, modern society, and much to add to the history of African Americans. 
I was asked this the other day and as I searched I found there are numerous lists from as few as six signs to as many as sixteen and some who were obviously leaving the door wide open. Further research seems to suggest that these are considered the most common and likely signs of a 'haunting': Unexplained cold spots, Shadows, sounds, or movements otherwise unexplainable, Moving objects, opening doors - all unexplainable, Unexplainable moods, changes in atmosphere, or feelings of being watched, or Sightings of unexplained people, animals, or faces in or around a house which are unexplainable. 
"One of the most interesting stories associated with Fort Gibson National Cemetery is the tale of Vivia Thomas. Legend has it this high-spirited daughter of a wealthy Boston family met and fell in love with a handsome young lieutenant at a ball following the Civil War. After several months of courtship, they announced their engagement, but shortly before the wedding he left, leaving only a note that he desired to go West in search of adventure. Broken-hearted and bitter over the abandonment, Thomas went in search of her lover. After learning that he was stationed at Fort Gibson, she set off on a journey of revenge. She cut her hair, dressed in men’s clothing and joined the Army. The disguise worked, as the former fiancé did not recognize her. One night as he was returning from a visit with his Native American girlfriend, she ambushed and killed him. Despite an intense investigation, the murder went undiscovered. However, Thomas grew remorseful and began to visit his grave late at night. Eventually she contracted pneumonia from the continued exposure to the cold and collapsed near his grave, dying a few days later. Rather than condemning her actions, her army colleagues were so impressed with her courage in coming alone to the frontier and carrying out a successful disguise that they awarded her a place of honor for burial in the officer’s circle." (http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/ftgibson.asp) Her grave is in Section OC Grave 2119.
Spring times are supposed to be about life and renewal and second chances. Once upon time in central Oklahoma City the spring was dark and filled with visions to cause nightmares.
In Oklahoma City she is known as 'Effie'. A poor woman who loved not wise but too well and found herself pregnant with a married man's child. She a) either killed herself , b) was imprisoned by the married man, or c) was murdered. She has been said to haunt the Skirvin Hotel in downtown Oklahoma City since the 1920's.
