November 17, 2021 • 41 mins
The following is the podcast description as written by its creators: /// TELL ME A STORY: THE “TRUE” LIFE OF JAKOB STANLEY is a documentary about the life of beloved 1980s children's author Jakob Stanley, whose collections of horror short stories and poems outsold every other children’s book for almost two decades. As his mainstream popularity waned, Stanley's work, now out of print, reached cult status among a community of die-hard horror fans. The reclusive Jakob Stanley seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth ... until a short two-line death announcement appeared in a small town Pennsylvania paper. ///END///
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Produced by: Silvia Whitaker, Jessi Gotta & Patrick Shearer in association with Inappropriate Films
Sound Design by: Patrick Shearer
Written by: Jessi Gotta
Research Team: Iracel Rivero, Rocio Mendez, Jordan Tierney, Christopher Yustin, Alyssa Simon, Rebecca Comtois, Adam Files & Pete Boisvert
► Website: www.jakobstanley.com/
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► Transcripts: www.jakobstanley.com/
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The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcasters and participants, and do not represent the official policy or position of the Iphigenia County Police Department of Porter Township Pennsylvania or its associates.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
in october of 11 2004.
College students disappeared in the woods near Porter township pennsylvania while researching a documentary on Children's author Jacob Stanley.
They remain missing to this day last month their recordings appeared online in an effort to aid in the investigation.
The families of those missing have agreed to release the following sound files.
(00:21):
If anyone has information on those missing or the identity of the person or persons who uploaded these files,
please use the contact information.
Provided anything submitted may be used in future episodes.
Certain materials referenced in this podcast,
including the published works of Jacob Stanley are currently protected under US copyright law and may be redacted for legal reasons.
Some names have been withheld and voices altered.
(00:44):
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcasters and participants and do not represent the official policy or position of the Iphigenia County Police Department of Porter township pennsylvania or its associates.
This podcast contains adult themes and language,
listener discretion is advised.
(01:12):
File labeled 001 Rough Cut Episode one Tell Me A Story The True Life of Jacob Stanley.
Now out of print Stanley's books have become a shoe.
(01:34):
Yeah,
sorry.
RJ technology is really angry with me today.
Now out of print Stanley's books have become a shared secret among a community of die hard horror fans.
Do we have a contact or am I winging it?
Winging it.
All we know is that they printed the orbit Gotcha.
(01:56):
Hey charlie.
That place is gross.
Yes,
the good yogurt guys no eating in the booth.
That place smells like a porta,
potty banged a humidifier.
It's like eating clouds of cocaine and why don't they deliver?
Come on please.
(02:17):
I think they deny delivery to make people smell that smell.
Is there a fetish category for that?
There could be,
the only thing comes to mind is the product Ophelia,
which is sexual arousal from farts.
But I don't think that's what you're looking for,
jesus.
Uh the students who booked the studio here and they're having a bit of a hissy.
(02:40):
So we've got to move to the ship.
Is that the good yogurt?
Can I have some avery?
What do I do get out of my booth?
Well,
hello there.
What you got?
Damn and you're welcome.
Double High five.
What could you have possibly found in the last two minutes and I haven't been able to find in two years.
(03:07):
Oh shit mm hmm.
You have been forwarded to an automatic voice messaging system.
Jay Stanley is not available at the tone.
Please record your message.
(03:28):
It's 1982 and across the United States,
every grade school child waits with bated breath for the next release from their new favorite writer,
W.
T.
V.
New york.
If your child has been to a school book fair recently,
chances are they came home with one of these authors,
scary books.
First anthology left to the top of the new york times bestseller list over the past few years.
(03:52):
He has become a household name between Alvin Schwartz and steven is among us.
Friends among us in the form of a rider may have struggled during its initial release in 1977 but now tell me a story under the bed.
Over my head,
organizations complained that his work was too sophisticated for Children and your Children's minds anthology Tell me a story and other friends sold out from bookstores in mere minutes ranked on the american Library Association's 100 most frequently challenged books from 19 eighties,
(04:31):
Disobedience violence and the Occult Tell me a story collection,
the closet that speaks and the tiptoes that was released in 1986.
Check their bookshelves,
check their backpacks.
I do think his final book released in 99 t.
(04:52):
M A.
S.
The Nightmare of the Dream,
the places between was by far his best work has been described as subversive and dark.
I simply describe it as a genius.
Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome little to nothing is known about the life of this elusive author and since 1999 Jacob Stanley seems to have completely dropped off the face of the earth until a short two line obituary appeared in a small town paper over a year ago from boo labs and Red Cup Media I'm told and read and I'm avery fisher.
(05:37):
This is tell me a story,
the true life of Jacob Stanley a little background.
My grandmother passed away a month and a half ago and when I went to pennsylvania to clear out her room at the home,
I stumbled upon her collection of obituaries.
(05:58):
That's the thing that People do.
I guess she had one grand mom got all the local papers from throughout the entire state of pennsylvania and in a recipe card box filed under S.
I discovered a newspaper clipping that Red Jacobs Stanley writer born November 2,
1950,
(06:18):
departed this life August 28,
2009 may your light be reborn.
Was this the obituary of the famous Children's book author,
Jacob Stanley writer check,
birthdate check,
but could he have died over a year ago without anyone noticing.
That's when I reached out to Tolon Tolon Reed is a graduate student at university.
(06:42):
He has been working on a book about Jacob Stanley for the past few years and he's also one of my favorite people like that one more time.
So leaving that in Avery is very much one of my favorite people too.
We were both graduate students at university but she had been on a break from school and it was my first time hearing what we met as undergrads and instantly bonded over our deep love of all things horror and Jacob Stanley.
(07:10):
The obituary came from the porter township gazette in Iphigenia county pennsylvania.
The publication has little to no online presence,
which seems odd until you try to look up porter township which also has little to no online presence and much like the porter township gazette and porter township itself.
There is practically nothing about the actual life of Jacob Stanley online as well Stanley barely did interviews and the ones he did do were all pre internet.
(07:35):
So they're tricky to find.
But the interwebs does abhor a vacuum especially when a famous person with a cult following is involved.
So there are a bunch of rumors that float around on facebook groups and subreddit.
Mm mm mm mm I don't know if they fall into the rumors category more like crackpot conspiratorial,
creepy pastas.
But I do have a favorite one and I would kill to find out if it were actually true.
(08:01):
Ah yes.
The white whale hears audio pulled from a Youtube link discovered in the bowels of Reddit.
I've been getting a lot of questions about this recently.
But yes,
Stanley did write a book in 1990 that was so disturbing.
His publishers never released it.
(08:21):
They were afraid it would destroy his career.
And it was after that that he became a complete shut in evidently there is a copy of it on the dark web but you have to join a certain organization to view it.
I don't think about it very fun but completely unsubstantiated yet.
(08:43):
At this point I feel that we should say we didn't set out to make this podcast.
We aren't reporters or detectives initially,
all we were trying to do was find out if our childhood hero had passed away.
But the realization that almost nothing is known about someone who shaped so much of our childhoods and impacted our lives so deeply left us thunderstruck.
(09:04):
Whether he was alive or dead didn't change how little we knew about him as a person.
This is when we decided to start more extensively documenting our research and in order to do that properly,
we thought it might be beneficial to utilize the university's resources.
Stanley's dead.
How the hell doesn't anyone know that?
(09:25):
This is dr Sylvia Whittaker,
five ft two inches of denim and nicotine Whitaker was Avery's advisor when she was a student here and my current one,
which is why she's talking to her and not me.
We are 100% sure all we have Is that a bit shit?
I always love Stanley when his first book came out and found me.
(09:52):
Mm hmm.
Okay,
I'll allow it.
As long as y'all don't get in the way of any active students projects.
I'll help where I can.
But whatever you do,
do not use the university's name on anything.
We will not be legally responsible for any of your shit.
(10:12):
You hear me for the record?
She nodded tolan was too afraid to come talk to me about this,
wasn't he?
For the record.
She nodded.
Mhm.
I know some people at his publishing house.
Let's see what I can find out that that would be great.
Thank you.
(10:33):
Don't thank me yet.
The only thing known about the man is that there's not much known about him.
I doubt his publishers will be too much help here.
Two undergrads.
That might be helpful.
They won't get college credit for it,
but you can pitch it as real world experience,
bullshit Stanley should be right up their alley.
(10:59):
Is there anyone here we are all comprised of matter and energy.
What was that?
I didn't hear anything.
What did you freaking hear that?
So if the law of conservation of energy,
the basic tenant of thermodynamics is true.
(11:22):
What happens to our energy after we die orbs?
If it cannot simply disappear?
Did you see that we want to know this is Charles young and I am R.
J.
Alvarez and this is boo.
(11:47):
Beyond our observation.
No,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
ruby jean Alvarez is a super chill person and an absolute delight her show boo might not have many subscribers.
(12:10):
But it's entertaining as hell.
Mostly because of chuck screams,
but also because she can get anyone to talk to her about pretty much anything Charles chuck young is a bit of a know it all,
which can be hard to take because she's right most of the time and as you can tell,
terrified of ghosts,
but a big horror fan.
Nonetheless,
they've both been in a few of my ta classes and they're good students.
(12:32):
Really smart.
Mm hmm.
You have been forwarded to an automatic voice messaging system,
jay Stanley is not available.
After leaving a message for jay Stanley,
we reached out to the Porter township gazette.
There weren't any records of who posted the death announcement but we did find out that there is only one funeral home for all of Porter township and this.
(12:58):
It is absolutely stunning.
Welcome to the palmer family funeral home and crematory overlooking tonight is great.
Cliff speak proudly serving the families of quarter township with passion for almost a century.
No one is currently available to take your call.
(13:22):
This is an emergency.
Please hang up and dial 911 otherwise stay on the line.
A J Stanley living in the porter township borough of Iphigenia county pennsylvania as of two months ago.
(13:44):
Could he be alive?
Do we just leave a message for Jacob,
mother fracking Stanley.
We used to cut through porter on the way to my grandparents house.
The town is weird like there's nothing there except for cows.
Just cows.
When I was little I remember thinking that that was where all of the cows came from.
Hmm Did you know that baby castle,
suck your thumb.
(14:05):
It is adorable.
How long do you think it would take to drive there a few hours.
Let's go.
What?
Just like on a day trip to check it out.
There isn't much to check out.
Come on leave like super early and drive back after rush hour if we're going to do something like that,
we should probably plan it out ahead of time.
Why we haven't planned out anything so far.
Okay.
(14:26):
What if we just like do a little more background research for now.
Been doing background research for years and have a big fat nothing to show for it chuck.
Does evil google for two seconds and gets a phone number you know you can download your own tour browser.
Right baby,
come on.
Can we at least wait to hear back from the j Stanley.
(14:47):
We left a message for.
Seriously?
You have any idea how big this is?
We're being given the opportunity to get there before any of this drops online.
No one even knows the man lived in pennsylvania let alone possibly died there.
We would be the main source of information Leaving the hordes in our wake.
(15:07):
I don't know what's your deal.
What do you mean?
You should be up for this.
This is the most avery like suggestion I've ever made.
I mean do you want to do this thing at all?
No,
no,
no,
no I'm in.
I'm just ah what if what if we don't like what we find,
(15:27):
you know what I mean?
Then we deal with it.
What time tomorrow?
Like early,
early,
early,
early early.
What tom wants to go to porter for the day.
Hmm I'll go chuck.
(15:50):
It's a little last minute.
Yes,
exactly.
Thank you.
But do you plan on driving there?
Yeah,
taking your car.
Sure.
I don't see why not.
I'm in what I like driving other people's cars.
Road trip.
Hells Yeah,
(16:15):
It is about 5:30 AM.
RJ and Avery met at my apartment and we're about to pick up chuckles,
evidently.
Porter is not recognized by the novel.
(16:36):
So we are going to use a nearby town and from there.
Mhm.
We'll just wing it I guess.
Can you turn her down when it grabs Maudie over talking?
Have you gotten some?
Yes,
then please turn her down or I swear to God,
the next time she speaks I will throw her out the window.
(16:57):
Someone's salty in the morning.
She's really not that chatty.
And here we are.
And here comes chuck.
Recalculating.
That's it,
dammit woman,
it's off.
What the hell is wrong with you?
(17:21):
Morning.
Good morning.
Oh,
I thought I would just get us to the highway.
But a deal's a deal.
Right,
okay.
(17:43):
Hey Todd.
Morning ladies.
Mhm.
Okay.
Ready to roll,
definitely.
Oh,
(18:04):
what the hell?
Just screwing with you.
How did you miss that?
(18:24):
No,
I don't know.
I don't know.
I had my earplugs in and fell asleep,
calm down at 8:23.
So only a few minutes.
I don't like how this structure just wants your spot.
Yeah,
we rolling.
Yes.
Hit play.
Um Hello,
ruby jean.
This is jay Stanley,
(18:44):
jane Stanley.
It's called about uncle Russell.
He was in fact the writer.
Jacobs Stanley.
I can confirm Jacobs and russell first name.
Yeah,
lift your diet here.
Very dear.
Uh there wasn't any type of ceremony or obituary so I don't know about any.
(19:05):
I I didn't even know the Porter Township because I'd have no big section.
I've only been here in the house a few weeks myself.
Get going.
Okay,
sorry.
So yeah,
the Jacobs Stanley who passed away was the writer Jacobs Stanley if that is what you were looking for and I hope this helps you plan your documentary.
(19:28):
Uh do you need any other stuff for your thing?
Let me know.
My door is always open.
Well enjoy your bye bye bye bye bye bye.
Holy ship he's really gone,
wow!
(19:50):
We found his knees.
That's something right.
It's more than we had before.
We should get back on the road.
Yeah.
You want to head back,
are you kidding now?
We have to go to Porter lived here died here,
buried here.
Gotta check out uncle Rusty stomping grounds.
Gonna pee.
(20:13):
Porter Township in rural Virginia county pennsylvania is a place that seems to have hit a dead stop in the 1960s random strip malls with gravel parking lots are scattered along overgrown Tulane Roadways.
The once thriving quarry is now no more than a teenage make out spot.
The sprawling Mendenhall institute formerly an esteemed treatment facility for the mentally ill shuttered its doors nearly 30 years ago and let us not neglect to mention that.
(20:39):
On the very edge of Porter sits the prestigious Amherst prep school that opened its doors in 1897 and has progressively allowed females to attend since 2005.
Ah Mhm.
(21:02):
Check well we have arrived in Porter Township proper.
Um we have stopped at the roadside pie stand and garden center.
Ah yes,
most impressive.
Go on scamper away.
(21:24):
Please continue to bruise this establishment's fine.
Aries.
Mm hmm.
God,
I do not like this town.
Even when I was a little kid,
it made me uneasy.
Okay,
I am recording this so that there is undeniable proof that I avery fisher being of questionably sound mind officially.
(21:53):
Sorry,
jesus christ.
I didn't mean to startle.
It's fine,
it's fine.
We were wondering what shoo fly pie tastes like.
It's no one's favorite pie,
but here wonder no more get to.
(22:17):
After stopping to pick up a local map and some pie.
I took over the helm from chuck for our official tour of Porter.
We found one block that sort of resembled a town square,
but it wasn't exactly welcoming.
Porter is the kind of town that unless you have a specific place to go,
you kind of don't have a reason to be there.
So I decided to pick a specific place.
(22:37):
No,
absolutely not.
Come on.
It's the only address we have.
I'm guessing we have you to thank for that chuck.
I simply provide information.
I'm not culpable for the nature of its use.
I warned you that this isn't the kind of town you go and check out it is all acres of private property and cows were already in porter.
Wouldn't it be ashamed and not at least try.
(22:57):
It's inappropriate to just show up to the woman's home.
Thank you.
But as long as I don't have to get out the car,
I don't really care.
Come on,
it'll be fine.
What if she has like pictures from his childhood or journals?
Avery can you imagine she was awfully sweet in her message.
Sweet sweet is what we're going with because I was thinking more like adult as an adult shotgun owner.
(23:19):
What if we just drive by her place?
It won't be the kind of house you just drive by.
It's not a neighborhood,
It will be a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere.
And the only reason to be anywhere near there is to go to her house.
Shit.
We're already heading there,
aren't we?
I'm staying in the car.
(23:40):
Hey everybody lean in.
Oh,
nice.
Avery welcome.
Yeah.
Oh,
I haven't had service since we turned off the highway.
(24:03):
Oh,
but oh,
never mind consent,
consent and sent and sent.
Okay.
Does anyone have service?
Uh I don't know.
Oh right.
(24:25):
Mhm Yeah,
middle of the wilderness raging storm.
No cell phone service.
What could possibly go wrong.
RJ what could possibly go wrong?
We are here have fun.
(25:17):
Mhm mhm.
Mhm.
Mm hmm.
Well the house looks like a creepy painting.
(25:38):
Mm hmm?
It's definitely haunted.
Right,
definitely.
Right.
Mhm.
But what's all this about now?
What are they doing?
No idea.
(26:00):
Is he feeling?
I don't know what the hell,
No,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no.
Avery make it stop,
honk the horn that will just draw the help people.
What the hell are you doing right now?
What the hell are you doing right now?
I'm not getting out of this car,
so not getting out of this car.
You two are freaking idiots.
(26:21):
I'm sorry,
you guys.
I know you didn't want to get out of the car,
something just fell on my head,
get it off,
get it off.
I don't see anything.
Can I please just show you this here?
Uh okay.
When we approached the house we heard a whimpering sound as you can hear now coming from inside.
Most of the windows are completely blocked by boxes,
(26:42):
but the kitchen window was clear and that's when we saw a small dog pinned under a bookshelf as you can see uh we would call the police,
but we don't seem to have any cell service.
So RJ is going to climb inside the window and free the dog.
Okay,
(27:04):
What do you mean?
RJ,
(27:24):
jesus,
are you okay?
Yeah,
my left side got the worst of it.
I'm sure it'll be fine.
Can you walk?
Yeah,
yeah,
yeah,
Okay,
grab the dog and okay.
What the hell?
What's that?
That that's just the house settling and so maybe.
(27:51):
Ooh shut up shut up Avery who is Avery?
I hate you so much Children.
Please can we focus?
Fine,
focusing,
there's no way we can find the front door and all this mess.
(28:12):
The easiest thing would be to get out the way we came in the kitchen window agreed,
grab the dog.
Let's go wait,
where's the dog?
Are you kidding me?
Right sorry RJ we're getting the hell out of here.
Minutes,
two minutes,
come on,
I'll go with what?
That baby just waved.
Okay,
this house is triggering chuck in some way so no more talking.
(28:35):
Just make it quick.
Thank you for talking.
Okay.
Mhm Thank you dude,
(29:01):
seriously,
seriously knock it off.
Are you really just saying the Lord's prayer?
That is not the Lord's prayer.
How would you know?
100% sure that is not the Lord's prayer then what the hell is it then?
I don't know.
Let me down to sleep.
Prayer.
(29:22):
That is not a title.
The Lord's prayer starts with our Lord who art in heaven.
Hallowed,
be thy name.
Hallowed,
be thy name.
Yes,
they can't be right and if I die before I wake doggy chief,
why were you reciting the Lord's prayer.
(29:43):
That isn't the Lord's prayer.
Lay me down to sleep.
Prayer.
Okay we are so so sorry um Hi my name is Avery fisher,
are you jane?
Yes we're from university.
(30:04):
Um This is stolen and Charles and this is RJ ruby jean.
She called you and left you a voicemail and you called her back.
We're doing research on your uncle for a documentary.
Do you remember that?
Why are you in my house?
Right.
This is very inappropriate.
But your dog my dog.
Yeah.
When we came up to see to interview you,
(30:26):
your dog was howling.
I took a video so you can see how innocent it all was.
It sounded her and we saw it under the bookshelf.
So long and short here is your puppet and safe and sound.
I don't have a dog.
Well crap,
we are so sorry.
Um We won't get out of your home very quickly.
(30:49):
Let's go guys.
No no no no it's alright,
don't worry about it.
It's not the first time he's gotten in here or got himself stuck somewhere else for that matter.
Thank you for being understanding.
That's perfectly fine ruby gee looks like you took a bit of a tumble RJ please.
(31:09):
I'm sorry.
When I tried to lift the bookshelf it caused a bit of an avalanche and took me down to Well at the very least it's nice to put a face to the voice.
You want a cup of coffee or t have a lot of t nothing fancy but I just got the stuff for making up some sandwiches.
That's very kind but we don't want to put you out.
(31:31):
No,
no no I insist RJ you need some ice for that risk and the rest of you look like you need some caffeine?
Go on,
sit,
sit sit sit sit sit,
sit,
take a box.
Should I deal with the dog?
Just hold it.
It's a really nice piece of property you got here,
(31:56):
jane,
lots of land.
Oh thank you Tolan.
The original lot was much smaller.
My grandparents inherited the house from their parents and so on.
Then my uncle bought up all the land around it.
He did like his privacy as you well know holy sh it what?
So did like Jacob grew up here.
(32:19):
Yeah lived here his whole life so did I mostly his home,
his childhood home,
he was a bit of a hoarder kept everything.
It's stuff is all his technically it's mine now.
(32:42):
Um What are your plans for the place?
If you don't mind my asking?
I was gonna just read up the house and live here but there's just too much damage from all this mess.
Not to mention the bats.
I'm sorry.
That's alright.
Some sandwiches for you and some ice and a baggy for RJ.
(33:02):
Exactly.
Mhm.
We hit the freaking motherlode people and you didn't want to come.
No I didn't want to just show up sometimes it's better to catch people off guard.
Okay.
Seriously are your red lights not flashing?
Something's not right.
Don't be a spoil sport.
It's a spoil sport right?
(33:22):
I mean she is way too okay with us being here,
we broke into her home.
That's not helping you both are being ridiculous.
Coffee.
You know what?
In the basement?
There are boxes full of tapes and stuff.
He always recorded his ramblings.
(33:44):
If you can carry them,
they're all yours the equipment to jane.
I can't even begin to explain what this means to me to us and you even have the best resource of them.
All right here before your eyes.
(34:05):
Well me silly.
I'm your own personal encyclopedia Stanley.
Oh yes,
of course.
Are you sure this wouldn't be an inconvenience?
Heavens no,
I'm at your disposal.
Let me freshen up a bit while you set up.
What?
Oh,
it's not on camera.
It's a podcast.
Never mind.
(34:26):
I brought my gear,
it's in the car.
I'll grab it.
Wait,
are we really doing this?
If she thinks it's on camera,
we go with it.
Got to jump on the momentum and reel her in,
feel free to start on those boxes,
basement is right through there.
James.
Could you point me to your front door?
Of course.
Right this way smith.
(34:48):
If you wouldn't mind.
Could you get a fire started?
This house is so drunk?
The flu is open so you can just start.
What's the flu?
I'll do it figure out where we should shoot this thing.
And is that the shower?
(35:14):
Are you freaking kidding me?
Okay.
Time out,
agreed time out.
I need out of this room where we going girl start in the basement.
Yeah basement.
R.
J.
We can move these boxes and set right over there.
Would that work?
(35:35):
I guess I'll start in the basement,
yep,
mm hmm.
(36:23):
Oh my God.
Mm hmm.
Check,
check,
check,
check check realtor,
real equipment,
test slate,
Jacobs Stanley real too real labeled number 5 to 3.
Random poll.
(36:55):
Yeah.
Yesterday upon the stair I met a man who wasn't there.
(37:17):
Yeah,
he wasn't there again today.
How I wish he'd go away.
When I came home last night at three.
The man was waiting there for me.
(37:39):
But when I looked around the hall I couldn't see him there at all.
Go away.
Go away.
Don't you come back anymore?
Go away.
Go away.
And please don't slam the door.
(38:01):
Yeah.
Last night I saw upon the stair,
a little man who wasn't there?
He wasn't there again today.
Oh how I wish he'd go away.
(38:31):
Oh,
jesus.
Oh,
oh some of this.
Oh you got me ah ship end of file labeled 001 rough cut.
(39:08):
Episode one.
Tell me a story.
The true life of Jacob Stanley.
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcasters and participants.
If anyone has information on those missing or the identity of the person or persons who uploaded these files.
(39:29):
Please use the contact information provided.
Anything submitted may be used in future episodes?
Mm hmm.
Tell me a story.
The true life of Jacob Stanley is a bi weekly podcast produced by Sylvia Whitaker.
(39:49):
Please rate,
review and subscribe.
If you have information on the missing know the identity of the person or persons who uploaded these files,
have a theory about the case or have had your own unexplainable experiences in Virginia county pennsylvania.
We want to hear from you.
(40:10):
Please record a message via our website.
Messages may be used in future episodes.
Voices will be altered and names redacted to protect your anonymity.
in october of 11 2004.
College students disappeared in the woods near Porter township pennsylvania while researching a documentary on Children's author Jacob Stanley.
They remain missing to this day last month their recordings appeared online in an effort to aid in the investigation.
The families of those missing have agreed to release the following sound files.
(00:21):
If anyone has information on those missing or the identity of the person or persons who uploaded these files,
please use the contact information.
Provided anything submitted may be used in future episodes.
Certain materials referenced in this podcast,
including the published works of Jacob Stanley are currently protected under US copyright law and may be redacted for legal reasons.
Some names have been withheld and voices altered.
(00:44):
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcasters and participants and do not represent the official policy or position of the Iphigenia County Police Department of Porter township pennsylvania or its associates.
This podcast contains adult themes and language,
listener discretion is advised.
(01:12):
File labeled 001 Rough Cut Episode one Tell Me A Story The True Life of Jacob Stanley.
Now out of print Stanley's books have become a shoe.
(01:34):
Yeah,
sorry.
RJ technology is really angry with me today.
Now out of print Stanley's books have become a shared secret among a community of die hard horror fans.
Do we have a contact or am I winging it?
Winging it.
All we know is that they printed the orbit Gotcha.
(01:56):
Hey charlie.
That place is gross.
Yes,
the good yogurt guys no eating in the booth.
That place smells like a porta,
potty banged a humidifier.
It's like eating clouds of cocaine and why don't they deliver?
Come on please.
(02:17):
I think they deny delivery to make people smell that smell.
Is there a fetish category for that?
There could be,
the only thing comes to mind is the product Ophelia,
which is sexual arousal from farts.
But I don't think that's what you're looking for,
jesus.
Uh the students who booked the studio here and they're having a bit of a hissy.
(02:40):
So we've got to move to the ship.
Is that the good yogurt?
Can I have some avery?
What do I do get out of my booth?
Well,
hello there.
What you got?
Damn and you're welcome.
Double High five.
What could you have possibly found in the last two minutes and I haven't been able to find in two years.
(03:07):
Oh shit mm hmm.
You have been forwarded to an automatic voice messaging system.
Jay Stanley is not available at the tone.
Please record your message.
(03:28):
It's 1982 and across the United States,
every grade school child waits with bated breath for the next release from their new favorite writer,
W.
T.
V.
New york.
If your child has been to a school book fair recently,
chances are they came home with one of these authors,
scary books.
First anthology left to the top of the new york times bestseller list over the past few years.
(03:52):
He has become a household name between Alvin Schwartz and steven is among us.
Friends among us in the form of a rider may have struggled during its initial release in 1977 but now tell me a story under the bed.
Over my head,
organizations complained that his work was too sophisticated for Children and your Children's minds anthology Tell me a story and other friends sold out from bookstores in mere minutes ranked on the american Library Association's 100 most frequently challenged books from 19 eighties,
(04:31):
Disobedience violence and the Occult Tell me a story collection,
the closet that speaks and the tiptoes that was released in 1986.
Check their bookshelves,
check their backpacks.
I do think his final book released in 99 t.
(04:52):
M A.
S.
The Nightmare of the Dream,
the places between was by far his best work has been described as subversive and dark.
I simply describe it as a genius.
Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome little to nothing is known about the life of this elusive author and since 1999 Jacob Stanley seems to have completely dropped off the face of the earth until a short two line obituary appeared in a small town paper over a year ago from boo labs and Red Cup Media I'm told and read and I'm avery fisher.
(05:37):
This is tell me a story,
the true life of Jacob Stanley a little background.
My grandmother passed away a month and a half ago and when I went to pennsylvania to clear out her room at the home,
I stumbled upon her collection of obituaries.
(05:58):
That's the thing that People do.
I guess she had one grand mom got all the local papers from throughout the entire state of pennsylvania and in a recipe card box filed under S.
I discovered a newspaper clipping that Red Jacobs Stanley writer born November 2,
1950,
(06:18):
departed this life August 28,
2009 may your light be reborn.
Was this the obituary of the famous Children's book author,
Jacob Stanley writer check,
birthdate check,
but could he have died over a year ago without anyone noticing.
That's when I reached out to Tolon Tolon Reed is a graduate student at university.
(06:42):
He has been working on a book about Jacob Stanley for the past few years and he's also one of my favorite people like that one more time.
So leaving that in Avery is very much one of my favorite people too.
We were both graduate students at university but she had been on a break from school and it was my first time hearing what we met as undergrads and instantly bonded over our deep love of all things horror and Jacob Stanley.
(07:10):
The obituary came from the porter township gazette in Iphigenia county pennsylvania.
The publication has little to no online presence,
which seems odd until you try to look up porter township which also has little to no online presence and much like the porter township gazette and porter township itself.
There is practically nothing about the actual life of Jacob Stanley online as well Stanley barely did interviews and the ones he did do were all pre internet.
(07:35):
So they're tricky to find.
But the interwebs does abhor a vacuum especially when a famous person with a cult following is involved.
So there are a bunch of rumors that float around on facebook groups and subreddit.
Mm mm mm mm I don't know if they fall into the rumors category more like crackpot conspiratorial,
creepy pastas.
But I do have a favorite one and I would kill to find out if it were actually true.
(08:01):
Ah yes.
The white whale hears audio pulled from a Youtube link discovered in the bowels of Reddit.
I've been getting a lot of questions about this recently.
But yes,
Stanley did write a book in 1990 that was so disturbing.
His publishers never released it.
(08:21):
They were afraid it would destroy his career.
And it was after that that he became a complete shut in evidently there is a copy of it on the dark web but you have to join a certain organization to view it.
I don't think about it very fun but completely unsubstantiated yet.
(08:43):
At this point I feel that we should say we didn't set out to make this podcast.
We aren't reporters or detectives initially,
all we were trying to do was find out if our childhood hero had passed away.
But the realization that almost nothing is known about someone who shaped so much of our childhoods and impacted our lives so deeply left us thunderstruck.
(09:04):
Whether he was alive or dead didn't change how little we knew about him as a person.
This is when we decided to start more extensively documenting our research and in order to do that properly,
we thought it might be beneficial to utilize the university's resources.
Stanley's dead.
How the hell doesn't anyone know that?
(09:25):
This is dr Sylvia Whittaker,
five ft two inches of denim and nicotine Whitaker was Avery's advisor when she was a student here and my current one,
which is why she's talking to her and not me.
We are 100% sure all we have Is that a bit shit?
I always love Stanley when his first book came out and found me.
(09:52):
Mm hmm.
Okay,
I'll allow it.
As long as y'all don't get in the way of any active students projects.
I'll help where I can.
But whatever you do,
do not use the university's name on anything.
We will not be legally responsible for any of your shit.
(10:12):
You hear me for the record?
She nodded tolan was too afraid to come talk to me about this,
wasn't he?
For the record.
She nodded.
Mhm.
I know some people at his publishing house.
Let's see what I can find out that that would be great.
Thank you.
(10:33):
Don't thank me yet.
The only thing known about the man is that there's not much known about him.
I doubt his publishers will be too much help here.
Two undergrads.
That might be helpful.
They won't get college credit for it,
but you can pitch it as real world experience,
bullshit Stanley should be right up their alley.
(10:59):
Is there anyone here we are all comprised of matter and energy.
What was that?
I didn't hear anything.
What did you freaking hear that?
So if the law of conservation of energy,
the basic tenant of thermodynamics is true.
(11:22):
What happens to our energy after we die orbs?
If it cannot simply disappear?
Did you see that we want to know this is Charles young and I am R.
J.
Alvarez and this is boo.
(11:47):
Beyond our observation.
No,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
ruby jean Alvarez is a super chill person and an absolute delight her show boo might not have many subscribers.
(12:10):
But it's entertaining as hell.
Mostly because of chuck screams,
but also because she can get anyone to talk to her about pretty much anything Charles chuck young is a bit of a know it all,
which can be hard to take because she's right most of the time and as you can tell,
terrified of ghosts,
but a big horror fan.
Nonetheless,
they've both been in a few of my ta classes and they're good students.
(12:32):
Really smart.
Mm hmm.
You have been forwarded to an automatic voice messaging system,
jay Stanley is not available.
After leaving a message for jay Stanley,
we reached out to the Porter township gazette.
There weren't any records of who posted the death announcement but we did find out that there is only one funeral home for all of Porter township and this.
(12:58):
It is absolutely stunning.
Welcome to the palmer family funeral home and crematory overlooking tonight is great.
Cliff speak proudly serving the families of quarter township with passion for almost a century.
No one is currently available to take your call.
(13:22):
This is an emergency.
Please hang up and dial 911 otherwise stay on the line.
A J Stanley living in the porter township borough of Iphigenia county pennsylvania as of two months ago.
(13:44):
Could he be alive?
Do we just leave a message for Jacob,
mother fracking Stanley.
We used to cut through porter on the way to my grandparents house.
The town is weird like there's nothing there except for cows.
Just cows.
When I was little I remember thinking that that was where all of the cows came from.
Hmm Did you know that baby castle,
suck your thumb.
(14:05):
It is adorable.
How long do you think it would take to drive there a few hours.
Let's go.
What?
Just like on a day trip to check it out.
There isn't much to check out.
Come on leave like super early and drive back after rush hour if we're going to do something like that,
we should probably plan it out ahead of time.
Why we haven't planned out anything so far.
Okay.
(14:26):
What if we just like do a little more background research for now.
Been doing background research for years and have a big fat nothing to show for it chuck.
Does evil google for two seconds and gets a phone number you know you can download your own tour browser.
Right baby,
come on.
Can we at least wait to hear back from the j Stanley.
(14:47):
We left a message for.
Seriously?
You have any idea how big this is?
We're being given the opportunity to get there before any of this drops online.
No one even knows the man lived in pennsylvania let alone possibly died there.
We would be the main source of information Leaving the hordes in our wake.
(15:07):
I don't know what's your deal.
What do you mean?
You should be up for this.
This is the most avery like suggestion I've ever made.
I mean do you want to do this thing at all?
No,
no,
no,
no I'm in.
I'm just ah what if what if we don't like what we find,
(15:27):
you know what I mean?
Then we deal with it.
What time tomorrow?
Like early,
early,
early,
early early.
What tom wants to go to porter for the day.
Hmm I'll go chuck.
(15:50):
It's a little last minute.
Yes,
exactly.
Thank you.
But do you plan on driving there?
Yeah,
taking your car.
Sure.
I don't see why not.
I'm in what I like driving other people's cars.
Road trip.
Hells Yeah,
(16:15):
It is about 5:30 AM.
RJ and Avery met at my apartment and we're about to pick up chuckles,
evidently.
Porter is not recognized by the novel.
(16:36):
So we are going to use a nearby town and from there.
Mhm.
We'll just wing it I guess.
Can you turn her down when it grabs Maudie over talking?
Have you gotten some?
Yes,
then please turn her down or I swear to God,
the next time she speaks I will throw her out the window.
(16:57):
Someone's salty in the morning.
She's really not that chatty.
And here we are.
And here comes chuck.
Recalculating.
That's it,
dammit woman,
it's off.
What the hell is wrong with you?
(17:21):
Morning.
Good morning.
Oh,
I thought I would just get us to the highway.
But a deal's a deal.
Right,
okay.
(17:43):
Hey Todd.
Morning ladies.
Mhm.
Okay.
Ready to roll,
definitely.
Oh,
(18:04):
what the hell?
Just screwing with you.
How did you miss that?
(18:24):
No,
I don't know.
I don't know.
I had my earplugs in and fell asleep,
calm down at 8:23.
So only a few minutes.
I don't like how this structure just wants your spot.
Yeah,
we rolling.
Yes.
Hit play.
Um Hello,
ruby jean.
This is jay Stanley,
(18:44):
jane Stanley.
It's called about uncle Russell.
He was in fact the writer.
Jacobs Stanley.
I can confirm Jacobs and russell first name.
Yeah,
lift your diet here.
Very dear.
Uh there wasn't any type of ceremony or obituary so I don't know about any.
(19:05):
I I didn't even know the Porter Township because I'd have no big section.
I've only been here in the house a few weeks myself.
Get going.
Okay,
sorry.
So yeah,
the Jacobs Stanley who passed away was the writer Jacobs Stanley if that is what you were looking for and I hope this helps you plan your documentary.
(19:28):
Uh do you need any other stuff for your thing?
Let me know.
My door is always open.
Well enjoy your bye bye bye bye bye bye.
Holy ship he's really gone,
wow!
(19:50):
We found his knees.
That's something right.
It's more than we had before.
We should get back on the road.
Yeah.
You want to head back,
are you kidding now?
We have to go to Porter lived here died here,
buried here.
Gotta check out uncle Rusty stomping grounds.
Gonna pee.
(20:13):
Porter Township in rural Virginia county pennsylvania is a place that seems to have hit a dead stop in the 1960s random strip malls with gravel parking lots are scattered along overgrown Tulane Roadways.
The once thriving quarry is now no more than a teenage make out spot.
The sprawling Mendenhall institute formerly an esteemed treatment facility for the mentally ill shuttered its doors nearly 30 years ago and let us not neglect to mention that.
(20:39):
On the very edge of Porter sits the prestigious Amherst prep school that opened its doors in 1897 and has progressively allowed females to attend since 2005.
Ah Mhm.
(21:02):
Check well we have arrived in Porter Township proper.
Um we have stopped at the roadside pie stand and garden center.
Ah yes,
most impressive.
Go on scamper away.
(21:24):
Please continue to bruise this establishment's fine.
Aries.
Mm hmm.
God,
I do not like this town.
Even when I was a little kid,
it made me uneasy.
Okay,
I am recording this so that there is undeniable proof that I avery fisher being of questionably sound mind officially.
(21:53):
Sorry,
jesus christ.
I didn't mean to startle.
It's fine,
it's fine.
We were wondering what shoo fly pie tastes like.
It's no one's favorite pie,
but here wonder no more get to.
(22:17):
After stopping to pick up a local map and some pie.
I took over the helm from chuck for our official tour of Porter.
We found one block that sort of resembled a town square,
but it wasn't exactly welcoming.
Porter is the kind of town that unless you have a specific place to go,
you kind of don't have a reason to be there.
So I decided to pick a specific place.
(22:37):
No,
absolutely not.
Come on.
It's the only address we have.
I'm guessing we have you to thank for that chuck.
I simply provide information.
I'm not culpable for the nature of its use.
I warned you that this isn't the kind of town you go and check out it is all acres of private property and cows were already in porter.
Wouldn't it be ashamed and not at least try.
(22:57):
It's inappropriate to just show up to the woman's home.
Thank you.
But as long as I don't have to get out the car,
I don't really care.
Come on,
it'll be fine.
What if she has like pictures from his childhood or journals?
Avery can you imagine she was awfully sweet in her message.
Sweet sweet is what we're going with because I was thinking more like adult as an adult shotgun owner.
(23:19):
What if we just drive by her place?
It won't be the kind of house you just drive by.
It's not a neighborhood,
It will be a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere.
And the only reason to be anywhere near there is to go to her house.
Shit.
We're already heading there,
aren't we?
I'm staying in the car.
(23:40):
Hey everybody lean in.
Oh,
nice.
Avery welcome.
Yeah.
Oh,
I haven't had service since we turned off the highway.
(24:03):
Oh,
but oh,
never mind consent,
consent and sent and sent.
Okay.
Does anyone have service?
Uh I don't know.
Oh right.
(24:25):
Mhm Yeah,
middle of the wilderness raging storm.
No cell phone service.
What could possibly go wrong.
RJ what could possibly go wrong?
We are here have fun.
(25:17):
Mhm mhm.
Mhm.
Mm hmm.
Well the house looks like a creepy painting.
(25:38):
Mm hmm?
It's definitely haunted.
Right,
definitely.
Right.
Mhm.
But what's all this about now?
What are they doing?
No idea.
(26:00):
Is he feeling?
I don't know what the hell,
No,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no,
no.
Avery make it stop,
honk the horn that will just draw the help people.
What the hell are you doing right now?
What the hell are you doing right now?
I'm not getting out of this car,
so not getting out of this car.
You two are freaking idiots.
(26:21):
I'm sorry,
you guys.
I know you didn't want to get out of the car,
something just fell on my head,
get it off,
get it off.
I don't see anything.
Can I please just show you this here?
Uh okay.
When we approached the house we heard a whimpering sound as you can hear now coming from inside.
Most of the windows are completely blocked by boxes,
(26:42):
but the kitchen window was clear and that's when we saw a small dog pinned under a bookshelf as you can see uh we would call the police,
but we don't seem to have any cell service.
So RJ is going to climb inside the window and free the dog.
Okay,
(27:04):
What do you mean?
RJ,
(27:24):
jesus,
are you okay?
Yeah,
my left side got the worst of it.
I'm sure it'll be fine.
Can you walk?
Yeah,
yeah,
yeah,
Okay,
grab the dog and okay.
What the hell?
What's that?
That that's just the house settling and so maybe.
(27:51):
Ooh shut up shut up Avery who is Avery?
I hate you so much Children.
Please can we focus?
Fine,
focusing,
there's no way we can find the front door and all this mess.
(28:12):
The easiest thing would be to get out the way we came in the kitchen window agreed,
grab the dog.
Let's go wait,
where's the dog?
Are you kidding me?
Right sorry RJ we're getting the hell out of here.
Minutes,
two minutes,
come on,
I'll go with what?
That baby just waved.
Okay,
this house is triggering chuck in some way so no more talking.
(28:35):
Just make it quick.
Thank you for talking.
Okay.
Mhm Thank you dude,
(29:01):
seriously,
seriously knock it off.
Are you really just saying the Lord's prayer?
That is not the Lord's prayer.
How would you know?
100% sure that is not the Lord's prayer then what the hell is it then?
I don't know.
Let me down to sleep.
Prayer.
(29:22):
That is not a title.
The Lord's prayer starts with our Lord who art in heaven.
Hallowed,
be thy name.
Hallowed,
be thy name.
Yes,
they can't be right and if I die before I wake doggy chief,
why were you reciting the Lord's prayer.
(29:43):
That isn't the Lord's prayer.
Lay me down to sleep.
Prayer.
Okay we are so so sorry um Hi my name is Avery fisher,
are you jane?
Yes we're from university.
(30:04):
Um This is stolen and Charles and this is RJ ruby jean.
She called you and left you a voicemail and you called her back.
We're doing research on your uncle for a documentary.
Do you remember that?
Why are you in my house?
Right.
This is very inappropriate.
But your dog my dog.
Yeah.
When we came up to see to interview you,
(30:26):
your dog was howling.
I took a video so you can see how innocent it all was.
It sounded her and we saw it under the bookshelf.
So long and short here is your puppet and safe and sound.
I don't have a dog.
Well crap,
we are so sorry.
Um We won't get out of your home very quickly.
(30:49):
Let's go guys.
No no no no it's alright,
don't worry about it.
It's not the first time he's gotten in here or got himself stuck somewhere else for that matter.
Thank you for being understanding.
That's perfectly fine ruby gee looks like you took a bit of a tumble RJ please.
(31:09):
I'm sorry.
When I tried to lift the bookshelf it caused a bit of an avalanche and took me down to Well at the very least it's nice to put a face to the voice.
You want a cup of coffee or t have a lot of t nothing fancy but I just got the stuff for making up some sandwiches.
That's very kind but we don't want to put you out.
(31:31):
No,
no no I insist RJ you need some ice for that risk and the rest of you look like you need some caffeine?
Go on,
sit,
sit sit sit sit sit,
sit,
take a box.
Should I deal with the dog?
Just hold it.
It's a really nice piece of property you got here,
(31:56):
jane,
lots of land.
Oh thank you Tolan.
The original lot was much smaller.
My grandparents inherited the house from their parents and so on.
Then my uncle bought up all the land around it.
He did like his privacy as you well know holy sh it what?
So did like Jacob grew up here.
(32:19):
Yeah lived here his whole life so did I mostly his home,
his childhood home,
he was a bit of a hoarder kept everything.
It's stuff is all his technically it's mine now.
(32:42):
Um What are your plans for the place?
If you don't mind my asking?
I was gonna just read up the house and live here but there's just too much damage from all this mess.
Not to mention the bats.
I'm sorry.
That's alright.
Some sandwiches for you and some ice and a baggy for RJ.
(33:02):
Exactly.
Mhm.
We hit the freaking motherlode people and you didn't want to come.
No I didn't want to just show up sometimes it's better to catch people off guard.
Okay.
Seriously are your red lights not flashing?
Something's not right.
Don't be a spoil sport.
It's a spoil sport right?
(33:22):
I mean she is way too okay with us being here,
we broke into her home.
That's not helping you both are being ridiculous.
Coffee.
You know what?
In the basement?
There are boxes full of tapes and stuff.
He always recorded his ramblings.
(33:44):
If you can carry them,
they're all yours the equipment to jane.
I can't even begin to explain what this means to me to us and you even have the best resource of them.
All right here before your eyes.
(34:05):
Well me silly.
I'm your own personal encyclopedia Stanley.
Oh yes,
of course.
Are you sure this wouldn't be an inconvenience?
Heavens no,
I'm at your disposal.
Let me freshen up a bit while you set up.
What?
Oh,
it's not on camera.
It's a podcast.
Never mind.
(34:26):
I brought my gear,
it's in the car.
I'll grab it.
Wait,
are we really doing this?
If she thinks it's on camera,
we go with it.
Got to jump on the momentum and reel her in,
feel free to start on those boxes,
basement is right through there.
James.
Could you point me to your front door?
Of course.
Right this way smith.
(34:48):
If you wouldn't mind.
Could you get a fire started?
This house is so drunk?
The flu is open so you can just start.
What's the flu?
I'll do it figure out where we should shoot this thing.
And is that the shower?
(35:14):
Are you freaking kidding me?
Okay.
Time out,
agreed time out.
I need out of this room where we going girl start in the basement.
Yeah basement.
R.
J.
We can move these boxes and set right over there.
Would that work?
(35:35):
I guess I'll start in the basement,
yep,
mm hmm.
(36:23):
Oh my God.
Mm hmm.
Check,
check,
check,
check check realtor,
real equipment,
test slate,
Jacobs Stanley real too real labeled number 5 to 3.
Random poll.
(36:55):
Yeah.
Yesterday upon the stair I met a man who wasn't there.
(37:17):
Yeah,
he wasn't there again today.
How I wish he'd go away.
When I came home last night at three.
The man was waiting there for me.
(37:39):
But when I looked around the hall I couldn't see him there at all.
Go away.
Go away.
Don't you come back anymore?
Go away.
Go away.
And please don't slam the door.
(38:01):
Yeah.
Last night I saw upon the stair,
a little man who wasn't there?
He wasn't there again today.
Oh how I wish he'd go away.
(38:31):
Oh,
jesus.
Oh,
oh some of this.
Oh you got me ah ship end of file labeled 001 rough cut.
(39:08):
Episode one.
Tell me a story.
The true life of Jacob Stanley.
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcasters and participants.
If anyone has information on those missing or the identity of the person or persons who uploaded these files.
(39:29):
Please use the contact information provided.
Anything submitted may be used in future episodes?
Mm hmm.
Tell me a story.
The true life of Jacob Stanley is a bi weekly podcast produced by Sylvia Whitaker.
(39:49):
Please rate,
review and subscribe.
If you have information on the missing know the identity of the person or persons who uploaded these files,
have a theory about the case or have had your own unexplainable experiences in Virginia county pennsylvania.
We want to hear from you.
(40:10):
Please record a message via our website.
Messages may be used in future episodes.
Voices will be altered and names redacted to protect your anonymity.
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