Rhoda Ward was a Bridgeport WV native and a member of the Simpson Creek Baptist Church. Rhodas mom was in a feud with another family from the church and Rhoda seemed to have taken the blame for this feud. Rhoda was accused of witchcraft and was tried in 1787 by the very church in which she belonged. At the time Rhoda was suffering from chickenpox as well as a fever. This could've led to the accusations of witchcraft or being possessed by an evil spirit due extreme behavior. Rhoda was ultimately found innocent and was allowed to continue attending church. 12 years later she was again accused of being a witch. Some legends say she was found guilty and hung while others claim she was once again found innocent. We do know that her body was buried outside a cemetery in an unmarked grave because witches couldn't be buried in hallowed ground. Maybe that tells more of the story?
Rhodas grave kept sinking more and more. The soil placed in the grave disappeared into a sinking abyss. Eventually the workers had to fill her grave with cement to keep it from sinking. It was like Rhoda didn't want to be buried at all.
Other than the sinking grave, an unmarked grave outside of hallowed ground we do have more of the legend to go on. In 1970 a tornado touched down in Bridgeport and destroyed a lot of the city even damaging the church that tried Rhoda for witchcraft but stopped just short of her grave. Another event that has taken place is the cemetery office clock hands spin around and around stopping on the exact time that it is.
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