Sleeping Beauty Cabin

Sleeping Beauty of Obion County, Susan Caroline Godsey Susan Caroline Godsey, called Susie, is a woman from Obion County, Tennessee, who slept for more than twenty years of her life. Sources believe she was born sometime around 1836-1842 and moved to the area with her family when she was seven years old. She became very ill with malaria a year later and suffered from "chills." She was given medicine to suppress these symptons, but began having powerful convulsions and cramping spells that continued for three years. The convulsions began to lessen, but in return, Godsey would fall into an unavoidable deep sleep for an average of twenty-three hours a day. She would wake up four to ten times during the day and three times at night, but she never stayed awake more than a few minutes. Several physicians visited Godsey during her lifetime, and her family even took her to larger cities for further medical examinations, but none could offer help. She passed away in 1873 when in her thirties.