The Gypsy Queen of Marion Ohio

Where did the Gypsy Queen come from?  Was she a voluptuous exotic dancer? What was her real name?  Was she even a gypsy at all?  She died during child labor and may be buried standing upright.

The popular story is that she was an 'exotic dancer' from the 1893 Chicago's World's Fair who fell in love with an American man named Charles Judge.

Here's what I found out about gypsies and the Worlds Fair;

The World's Fair Paris Exhibition of 1889 is the earliest account of Algerian gypsy street performers that had in their tribe, dancers, that would later spark the phrase known the world over as Belly Dancers.  Then in the 1893 World's Fair Chicago, Columbia Exposition, there was an exhibit called "Street in Cairo" where Algerian dancers preformed the provocative 'Hootchy-Kootchy' dance. One popular dancer was named Little Egypt. Gypsies, at the time, were thought to have originated from Egypt.  Some say she wasn't a gypsy at all, but that the gypsies took her in as their queen.    

The local story of the Gypsy Queen;

By 1905, Brazilian Gypsies were around the town of Marion Ohio.  A pregnant gypsy woman by the name of Queen Cleo was with them.  While she gave birth, she became ill. A doctor was called but it was too late, the young woman died. She was 30 years old.  The baby was healthy, but nothing more is known of the child. The local paper investigated, but the gypsies, who spoke little English wanted nothing to do with the the press or even the undertaker.  An old man of the tribe said to the reporter of the Marion Star, "Me don't like ye'.  And would only say her name was Mrs. Anne Judge, nothing more.  Gypsies from all over Ohio attended the funeral at St Mary's Church.

She is buried in the non-catholic section of the St Mary's Cemetery in Marion. Allegedly, she is buried upright.

Were these gypsies Algerian? Brazilian?  Gypsies are found in both of these countries.            

Pennies, coins, costume jewelery and other items are laid at the grave of Queen Cleo in the hopes of gaining some good fortune.

If you ever make your way there, be sure to give the Queen something and do not ever disgrace the site, otherwise you will become the victim of a gypsy curse.  


Another Marion Mystery Grave is . . .  

Mystery of the Merchant Ball - The Rotating Tombstone

Ghost Stoires on this site . . .

The Ghost that Communicates through TV

Spirit Board

Sleeping Where a Man Died

The Haunted Radio Station-My First Encounter with a Ghost

Ghosts of Harper's Ferry, Ghosts of Antietam