Francine Abebe

Jun 16th 1830 - Oct 31st 1864

Francine Abebe was born into slavery on June 16th, 1830, on the Hampton Plantation in Stone’s Throw, South Carolina. By the time she was 10 years-old, she had become an orphan. Her father was sold to another plantation, where he eventually died from starvation and heat exhaustion, and her mother committed suicide after being repeatedly raped by the plantation owner, Mr. Hampton.

Francine had three siblings that were sold to other plantations across the south. However, there was a story of her younger brother escaping and joining the Union Army.

When she was in her mid 20’s, Francine fell in love with a male enslaved African American by the name of Kofi. They married and had three children.

On January 1st, 1863, President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This proclaimed that all enslaved people were now free. As word spread across the south, rebellions started to rise. Many slave owners refused to obey this proclamation.

Mr. Hampton decided that if slavery were to come to an end…then he didn’t want anyone singing or dancing on his plantation. He decided to make it a literal hell on earth.

In the beginning of 1864, while Francine was pregnant with her third child, Mr. Hampton auctioned off her husband and two other children. This left Francine alone and broken. Francine gave birth to her child in early fall of that year. News had gotten back to Francine that her husband and children had their freedom. She was eager and desperate to join them.

On October 31st, 1864, one of the worst and most terrifying tragedies took place. Francine wrapped her baby in a small blanket and attempted to escape. She was found on the Hampton bridge by Mr. Hampton and a slave trapper, Mr. Wilson. Mr. Wilson shot Francine, and she dropped her baby on the ground. Mr. Hampton tossed her baby over the side of the bridge into the water below. Bleeding and crying out in pain and desperation, Francine asked, “Where is my baby?” and dragged herself off the bridge. She joined her baby in the watery grave.

Since this incident, people have reported seeing the ghost of Francine on the bridge…looking for her baby. As these sightings grew, so did her legend. She became known as the ghost of Crybaby Bridge.

Rumor has it…if you go to the bridge and say three times “I have your baby”, Francine will appear. If you don’t have her baby, then she will take you instead.