Southern Souls: Stories from the Stones

Tarah Thomas

A storytelling podcast that begins with a walk through Southern Cemeteries and follows the lives hidden beneath the stones. Not the grand monuments or famous names, but the quiet ones; the ones most people pass without noticing. Each episode starts at a grave and unfolds into a true story drawn from records. Murder trials, mysteries, tragedies, and moments of quiet humanity emerge from the past as we walk together through the cemeteries of the American South. Every stone marks a life, and every life has a story. Episodes begin releasing on March 19, 2026.

  1. 3d ago

    Samuel Thomas: The Killing of Hugh Dickson

    Former Confederate officer, Louisiana state senator, respected planter, and family man, Samuel Milton Thomas seemed an unlikely murder suspect. Yet in the early hours of one morning, he entered a room at Rush Point Plantation and shot his brother-in-law, Hugh Dickson, in the head. What followed was one of the most sensational trials in Louisiana history. At the center of the case was Thomas's daughter, Carrie, whose testimony revealed years of alleged grooming, drugging, and sexual abuse. In this episode, we explore the tragedy that led to a killing, the courtroom battle that followed, and the lingering mysteries surrounding the family left behind. Was Samuel Milton Thomas a murderer...or a father pushed beyond his breaking point?

    37 min

  2. May 21

    Clarence Landrum: The Journey of the Louisiana Spirit

    In 1936, a political wager sent two men on a journey across half the country to Washington D.C. What began as a local joke became a nationwide sensation as newspapers covered the journey of the "Louisiana Spirit," bringing some relief from the misery of the Great Depression.

    16 min

  3. May 14

    James Sanborn: When Friendship Wasn't Enough

    In this episode, we visit the grave of James Sanborn, a man remembered not only for the tragic way his life ended on a railroad track in Frierson, Louisiana, but also for the friends who tried to save him...and memorialized him when they failed. Content Warning: This episode discusses a case directly involving suicide. Listener discretion is advised.

    8 min

  4. May 7

    Dr. Thomas Ford: Shreveport Physician, New Orleans Murderer

    Dr. Thomas Ford was a respected, well- loved physician in the city of Shreveport. To many, he was an angel of healing. But on a morning in 1886, Dr. Ford became an angel of death to one man as he stalked him through the streets of New Orleans.

    38 min

  5. Apr 30

    Milus Haughton: Forgotten Founder

    Not all lives are lived in the headlines, marked by scandal and violence. Some lives are about loss, resilience, and rebuilding after tragedy. This is the story of a man remembered not for the headlines, but for the life he quietly lived in a town that bears his name.

    17 min

  6. Apr 23

    The DeFiliquier Family: A Black Hand Plot

    In the early 20th century, a shadowy organization threatened violence on families in an effort to extort money. In 1911, a Black Hand letter appeared in Shreveport, and the case that followed would shock an entire state.

    14 min

  7. Apr 16

    Fannie Roos: Notorious Courtesan of Shreveport

    In late 19th century Shreveport, one woman's name appeared in newspaper headlines again and again: Fannie Roos. Known as a courtesan and proprietress of a house of ill repute, she stood at the center of violence, scandal, and the lives of the men who crossed her path. This is the story of Fannie Roos, the woman at the center of Shreveport's vice district for a decade.

    34 min

  8. Apr 9

    Will Doles: A Deadly Small Town Feud

    In 1930s Louisiana, one man's violent temper spilled over from his home into the streets of the small town of Gilliam...with deadly consequences. In this episode, we explore the story of Will Doles, his deadly feud with a neighbor, and the woman who rose out of the violence to create a better life for herself and her son. Every stone has a story. Southern Souls: Stories from the Stones explores the lives, tragedies, and mysteries hidden beneath the headstones of the American South.

    22 min
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2 Ratings

About

A storytelling podcast that begins with a walk through Southern Cemeteries and follows the lives hidden beneath the stones. Not the grand monuments or famous names, but the quiet ones; the ones most people pass without noticing. Each episode starts at a grave and unfolds into a true story drawn from records. Murder trials, mysteries, tragedies, and moments of quiet humanity emerge from the past as we walk together through the cemeteries of the American South. Every stone marks a life, and every life has a story. Episodes begin releasing on March 19, 2026.

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