Thousands of files sit in cabinets at local historian Bobby Moss' rural Cherokee County home, chock full of everything from documents preceding the nation's birth to family trees dating back to the Civil War.

Decades of research have helped the 76-year-old former Limestone College professor to learn much of his family's history in addition to that of Cherokee County. At the same time, it has yielded mysteries he has yet to solve.

Around Halloween each year, Moss is hit with a deluge of questions regarding the spirits that haunt certain areas of the county.

"There are quite a few places that are supposed to be haunted in the county," Moss said.

Moss has been told of ghosts living on his property and others roaming the Upstate. However, one story in particular excites the history buff.

According to legend, the spirit of a black Civil War soldier named "Zelf" dwells to this day on a mountain aptly named after him in the northeastern portion of the county.

Though historians do not know whose side the soldier was on, Moss found that Zelf left the war, not being able to stomach the death and destruction around him.

"He went to the Civil War, but grew tired of all the death taking place," Moss said. "It's something he didn't like to see."

After leaving the war, he settled in caves along the Broad River, formed by way of an ancient volcano once existing in the area. The caves would serve as a home and a hideout for Zelf, where he and other soldiers that left the conflict could stash food and other items taken from settlers in the area.

Though Zelf did only what he could to have food for another day, he was branded an outlaw — one that stuck out more than others.

"The fact he was the only black in the group didn't help," Moss said. "Those that escaped the war lived by making illegal whiskey and robbing folks living in the area. Zelf wasn't a bad man, he just got hungry like everyone else."

Smokehouses and chicken coops were a primary target for the man, who relied on the meat and eggs from the heists as his only source of nutrition. Zelf would soon learn there was a price to pay for his actions.

After being caught by residents living in the area just outside of Cherokee Falls, he was given a death sentence sure to set an example other local thieves would not soon forget.

Once a soldier fighting for his country, Zelf would be roasted to death despite his persistent wails for mercy.

"Zelf was begging and pleading with them, but it was something he couldn't get out of," Moss said.

While the plan was for the man to die a quick yet painful death, it would take a number of hours before the flames silenced his cries once and for all.

"The people just left him at the top of the mountain," Moss said. "But even after leaving, they still could hear his screams and cries for help.

"The screams also startled birds migrating south. They were forced to fly around, mad because Zelf's noise didn't allow them to roost."

During the fall migration cycle, several bird species commonly found in the Northeastern United States head south for the winter. According to Moss, one of their favorite stops along their journey is the area now known as Zelf's Mountain.

In the years following Zelf's execution, the birds would serve as a signal of his spirit on the mountain.

"When they saw the birds moving around, they said it must be Zelf with his torch walking up the mountain," Moss said.

According to legend, he would make his presence known each fall through a series of catastrophic events during a three-day stretch affecting communities located around the mountain.

Stories of people being dragged by horse-drawn carriages, bleeding to death after gashing themselves with an ax while in the woods or drowning were aplenty during the spirit's alleged journey up the mountain, causing residents to head for churches believing something bad was about to occur.

"The bell would ring and people would run for the church for a vigil because they knew something bad would happen," Moss said.

Though Moss has done extensive research into the former Civil War soldier and his alleged presence, few sightings have been reported.

'The last person I knew that saw him is now dead and gone," Moss said. "But what he told me was shocking and believable. The man said he was without clothes and could see his charred flesh.

"Sightings like those have a lot of the local people believing his presence still is on the mountain."