The H.H. Holmes Story: From Beginning to End (Part 1)

The Making of a Monster (1861-1885)

You know how they say some people are just born different? Well, let me tell you about H.H. Holmes, and you can decide for yourself. It all started on May 16, 1861, in Gilmanton, New Hampshire. Born Herman Webster Mudgett (quite a mouthful, right?), he came into this world as the third child of Levi Horton Mudgett and Theodate Page Price. Now, these weren't just any New England folks - both parents came from some of the first English settlers in the area. Think old money, old connections, and old expectations.

The Family Dynamic

Here's where things get interesting. The Mudgetts were devout Methodists, but we're not talking about your typical peaceful religious household. Levi Mudgett, Holmes's father, was this complicated character - worked as a farmer, tried his hand at trading, did some house painting. But here's the dark part - he was known to be a heavy drinker and, according to various accounts, pretty cruel to his family.

Imagine growing up in that environment - a bright kid with a volatile father, trying to navigate a strict religious household while harboring these... unusual interests. Because young Herman wasn't just any smart kid; he was showing signs of being absolutely brilliant, but in ways that made people uncomfortable.

School Days and Early Signs

During his school years, Holmes was that kid - you know the type - too smart for his own good and getting bullied because of it. But here's where the story takes its first really dark turn. There's this famous incident that basically everyone who studies Holmes points to as the moment things started getting weird.

So picture this: Some bullies decide to teach the smart kid a lesson. They drag young Herman to a doctor's office (because apparently that's what passed for a prank in 1870s New Hampshire). They force him to stand face-to-face with a human skeleton, even making him touch it. Now, most kids would be traumatized, right? Not our guy. Instead of being terrified, he's fascinated. Like, absolutely captivated by this encounter with death.

This is where his obsession with anatomy begins. After this incident, Holmes started collecting animals - not as pets, mind you. He was dissecting them. And we're not talking about the kind of basic dissection you might do in science class. He was performing serious amateur surgeries, really trying to understand how bodies worked.

The Education Years

By 16, Holmes had graduated from Gilmanton Academy with honors. Think about that - this brilliant, troubled kid from a difficult home, excelling academically while harboring these increasingly dark fascinations. In 1879, at just 18, he starts at the University of Vermont. But here's the thing - it wasn't quite challenging enough for him. After a year, he leaves.

Then comes the real game-changer: In 1882, Holmes transfers to the University of Michigan's Department of Medicine and Surgery. This is where things start getting seriously twisted. Remember that childhood fascination with anatomy? Well, now he has legitimate access to cadavers. But that's not enough for him.

During his time at Michigan, Holmes develops two habits that will define his later crimes:

1. Grave Robbing: He starts stealing bodies from graves, using them to scam insurance companies. He'd take out policies on fake people, plant these bodies, and collect the money. It's horrible, but you have to admit it shows a certain twisted creativity.

2. Medical Knowledge: He's learning all about human anatomy, surgical techniques, and most importantly for his future crimes - the effects of various chemicals on the human body.

But here's something people often miss about his college years: Holmes wasn't some loner weirdo. He was charming, well-liked, and particularly good with the ladies. His classmates described him as confident and persuasive. He could talk his way into or out of almost anything.

The Start of His Double Life

While in medical school, Holmes marries Clara Lovering in 1878. It's his first marriage, and it seems almost normal - they even have a son, Robert Lovering Mudgett, in 1880. But Holmes isn't playing the role of devoted husband and father. He's already started his pattern of deception, often disappearing for long periods, always with a plausible excuse.

Clara later reported that Holmes could be physically violent, showing another side to his carefully maintained public persona. This is a pattern we'll see repeated throughout his life - the charming, successful public face hiding increasingly violent private behavior.

The Transition Period

As Holmes finishes medical school in 1884, he starts developing his professional persona. He's working in various hospitals and drugstores, learning the pharmaceutical trade that will later help him establish his Chicago business. But he's also perfecting his scam techniques:

- Insurance fraud schemes become more sophisticated

- He develops multiple aliases

- He starts keeping detailed records of his financial transactions (while being surprisingly sloppy about hiding evidence of his crimes)

Early Crimes and Close Calls

Before moving to Chicago, Holmes had already had several close calls with the law:

- In Mooers Forks, New York, a boy disappeared after being seen with Holmes

- At a Philadelphia drugstore where he worked, a child died after taking medicine from the store

- Multiple insurance companies were starting to ask questions about his claims

But each time, Holmes would simply move on, often changing his name and starting fresh in a new location. This pattern of moving whenever things got hot would continue throughout his criminal career.

The stage is now set for Holmes's most infamous period. He's educated, experienced in deception, and has developed both the skills and lack of empathy necessary for his future crimes. Next comes Chicago, the Murder Castle, and the beginning of his most notorious activities...

Arrival in Chicago - 1886

So Holmes arrives in Chicago in August 1886, and this is where he really starts reinventing himself. First thing he does? Changes his name. No more Herman Mudgett - now he's Dr. Henry Howard Holmes. Sounds more professional, right? That's exactly what he was going for.

Chicago in the 1880s was the perfect hunting ground for someone like Holmes. The city was booming, people were pouring in from everywhere, and nobody really knew their neighbors. Plus, the city was getting ready for this massive World's Fair that would bring even more strangers to town. Talk about perfect timing.

The Drugstore Purchase

Here's where Holmes's talent for manipulation really shows up. He finds this drugstore at the corner of South Wallace Avenue and West 63rd Street in Englewood. The owner, Elizabeth Holton, is dealing with a sick husband, and Holmes swoops in like some kind of savior. Gets himself hired, makes himself indispensable.

Fun fact: For years, people thought Holmes killed Dr. E.S. Holton (Elizabeth's husband) to get the store, but that's actually not true. The man died of natural causes. But here's the thing - Holmes was so convincing, so charming, that Mrs. Holton actually sold him the store. And get this - he probably never paid her the full amount. Classic Holmes move.

Building the Castle (1887-1892)

Now we get to the really wild part - the construction of what newspapers would later call "The Murder Castle." Holmes buys this empty lot across from the drugstore in 1887. Initially, he says he's building a simple two-story building with retail space below and apartments above. Seems reasonable, right?

The Construction Process

Let me tell you how clever this guy was about building his horror house:

1. First Phase (1887-1888):

- Starts with a basic two-story structure

- Already installing some weird features, but nothing too obvious

- Keeps changing contractors (this is important!)

- Gets into legal troubles with Aetna Iron and Steel for not paying them

2. Second Phase (1892-1893):

- Adds the third floor

- Claims it's going to be a hotel for the World's Fair

- Now the really strange modifications begin

Here's why changing contractors was so brilliant (in an evil way): No single person ever saw the complete plans. One group would build some normal-looking rooms, another would add those secret passages, and a third would install the gas lines. Nobody could piece together what he was really creating.

The Castle's "Features"

Okay, let's talk about what he actually built, separating fact from fiction (because boy, did the newspapers go wild with this):

Confirmed Features:

- Multiple secret passages between walls

- Soundproofed rooms (verified by later inspection)

- A basement laboratory with surgical tables

- Airtight rooms with gas lines connected

- Hidden chutes to the basement

- A large vault that could be sealed from outside

Debunked Myths:

- The building wasn't actually that maze-like

- There wasn't a elaborate torture chamber

- The "hundred rooms" story was exaggerated

- Many of the "special" rooms were actually just for hiding furniture he hadn't paid for

The Business Operation

While building his castle of horrors, Holmes was running multiple scams:

The Drugstore:

- Selling patent medicines (many probably fake)

- Running legitimate prescriptions as cover

- Using the store to meet potential victims

- Building a reputation as a successful businessman

The "Glass Bending" Business:

- Created a fake business for glass manufacturing

- Used it to explain strange shipments and odd hours

- Never actually produced any glass

- Perfect cover for unusual activities

Real Estate Scams:

- Constantly buying property under different names

- Never fully paying for anything

- Using one property as collateral for another

- Creating complex webs of ownership that took years to untangle

The Women in His Life During This Period

While all this is happening, Holmes's personal life is getting more complicated:

1. Clara (First Wife):

- Still legally married but living apart

- Has no idea what he's up to in Chicago

2. Myrta Belknap (Second Wife):

- Marries her in Minneapolis in 1887

- Has a daughter with her (Lucy)

- Keeps her away from Chicago in suburban Wilmette

3. Various "Fiancées" and Employees:

- Hires beautiful young women for his store

- Often becomes romantically involved with them

- Many of them "leave town" (spoiler: they don't)

The First Disappearances

Starting around 1891, people connected to Holmes start vanishing:

Julia Smythe and Pearl Connor:

- Julia was married when she met Holmes

- Left her husband for Holmes

- She and her daughter Pearl disappeared on Christmas Eve 1891

- Holmes claimed she died during an abortion he performed

Emeline Cigrand:

- Hired as Holmes's secretary in 1892

- Reportedly engaged to Holmes

- Last seen in December 1892

- Holmes later claimed she left to marry another man

Preparing for the World's Fair

By 1893, Holmes had positioned himself perfectly for the World's Columbian Exposition:

- Hotel conveniently located near transport to the fair

- Reputation as a successful businessman

- Multiple businesses operating as cover

- Complex system for disposing of evidence

- Network of helpers who didn't ask questions

The stage was set for what would become his most active period of crimes. The World's Fair was about to bring thousands of potential victims right to his doorstep...