This superstition was particularly prevalent in rural North America during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Rocking chairs were common household items, and their gentle motion likely contributed to the eerie association when moving unexpectedly. In communities where spiritualism and the belief in visits from the dead were strong—often influenced by Protestant and folk traditions—unexplained phenomena like this were easily attributed to supernatural causes. These beliefs were passed down orally and reflected widespread anxiety about death, mourning, and the afterlife. People often interpreted such signs as warnings or calls from the ‘other side.’ It reflects the era’s blending of Christian eschatology with earlier folkloric traditions regarding spirits and omens.