In Garland an old ghost story also exists. Our new neighborsgo contributor Caitlin S. Stanford gave us a little bit of history about one of Garland's most chilling tales.
The Dallas Morning News has investigated the tale before in this 2006 story.
This is her story she posted at neighborsgo.com:
"Every town has its ghost stories. They’re passed down from generation to generation, whispered into the ears of children, and tested by teenagers braving creepy old cemeteries and abandoned houses. There’s always a murder involved or a terrible car crash, and as with every ghost story, someone’s mother’s brother’s cousin’s best friend has actually seen the ghost. Garland is no exception, and their ghost is known as Smiley.
Smileys' Grave is in the Mills Cemetery located on Mills Road at Commerce Street off of Centerville. This is less than a block from State Highway 66 and not too far from Rowlett either. According to the Garland Landmark Society, Mills Cemetery was established in 1860 and is one of Garland’s older bone yards. However, Smiley’s grave only dates back to 1927 and can be found easily if entering from Commerce Street onto Mills. It’s just on your left.
The thing is, though, it’s not just Smiley’s grave. It’s the grave of his entire family. If that doesn’t send a chill down your spine, I don’t know what will. Smiley, his wife, and three daughters are listed, all with the same death date: May 9, 1927.
There are several stories associated with the deaths of the Smiley family. The one I heard as a teenager was that a man, coincidentally named Mills, wanted their land to build Centerville Road. When Mr. Smiley wouldn’t give it up, Mills planned to burn their house down while they were away. Unfortunately, they didn’t actually leave when he thought they did, so Mills ended up burning the family alive while they slept.
Creepy, huh?
Another story is that Smiley slaughtered his entire family in cold blood and then, as per usual, killed himself. This one is very campy and definitely has its place alongside any urban legend, but it doesn’t sound particularly original, does it?
Others contend, more logically, that a tornado killed the family. Though unverified, it is said that town hall holds records of a tornado coming through Garland that very day on May 9, 1927. This tornado was apparently very destructive and could definitely have caused the deaths of an entire family.
So those are the stories, the myths, the local legends. But what of the ghost?
Supposedly, Mr. Smiley walks the cemetery at night. His soul is tormented with the loss of his family—either by fire or murder or tornado. You may see him gliding among the rows of headstones or lingering beneath a tree. Also, supposedly, if you lie on Smiley’s grave on All Hallows Eve, it will feel as though a weight’s upon your chest, and you will struggle to get up again.
So if you pass by Mills Cemetery on Halloween night, perhaps you might catch a glimpse of the ghost Mr. Smiley wandering the grounds and looking for his family. Be warned, however, that lying on the grave itself is probably not a good idea. Not only is it disrespectful to the dead, but most cemeteries usually close at sundown, and on Halloween, the ghosts aren’t the only ones out and about—the police are too."
