The Missing Link in Modern Spiritualism
by A. Leah Underhill · English · Gutenberg #40485 · 839,878 chars · public domain (US)
The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Missing Link in Modern Spiritualism
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online
at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States,
you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located
before using this eBook.
Title: The Missing Link in Modern Spiritualism
Author: A. Leah Underhill
Release date: August 13, 2012 [eBook #40485]
Most recently updated: October 23, 2024
Language: English
Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/40485
Credits: Produced by Suzanne Shell, eagkw and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
produced from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MISSING LINK IN MODERN SPIRITUALISM ***
[Illustration: Mrs. Margaret Fox]
THE MISSING LINK
IN
MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
BY
A. LEAH UNDERHILL,
OF THE FOX FAMILY.
_REVISED AND ARRANGED BY A LITERARY FRIEND._
NEW YORK:
THOMAS R. KNOX & CO.,
(SUCCESSORS TO JAMES MILLER,)
813 BROADWAY.
1885.
COPYRIGHT, 1885, BY
A. LEAH UNDERHILL.
TROW'S
PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY,
NEW YORK.
Dedication.
TO MY HUSBAND,
DANIEL UNDERHILL,
WHO,
BEFORE I HAD OTHER CLAIMS THAN THOSE OF TRUTH AND RIGHT,
NOBLY SUSTAINED ME WHEN OLDER FRIENDS WAVERED,
THIS NARRATIVE IS DEDICATED,
NOT LESS GRATEFULLY THAN LOVINGLY.
EDITOR'S PREFACE.
The author of this volume, having written it from time to time, from
her recollections and documentary materials, which include bushels of
letters--but unwilling to commit it to the press in the disjointed
condition which was a natural consequence of her own want of much
practice of the pen--did me the honor of requesting my aid in revising
and arranging it for publication. Her honesty and sincerity of character
have caused her to insist upon a preface to that effect. Though deeming
this a superfluous scruple on her part, I am induced to comply with her
wish for a different reason; and that is, the opportunity it affords of
bearing my testimony to the remarkable accuracy of her memory and of her
truthfulness, as those qualities have proved themselves throughout the
intimate intercourse of many weeks, during which she has often had to
repeat the same recollections of facts and incidents, under what was
almost legal cross-examination, without ever the slightest variation in
their details, and without ever allowing anything to pass which might
be in the least degree tainted with inaccuracy or mistake. As she is so
well known to so many friends, it is superfluous for me to express on
this page, which will meet her eye for the first time in print, the
high and affectionate esteem and respect with which that intimate
intercourse, with all its opportunities for observation and judgment,
have inspired the
EDITOR.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER I.
HYDESVILLE 5
"Mysterious Noises" heard in the House of John D. Fox, in
Hydesville (Town of Arcadia), near Newark, Wayne County,
N. Y.--Statements of Witnesses.
CHAPTER II.
HYDESVILLE (_Continued_) 20
The Last Digging in the Cellar--Mob Antagonism--Noble
Friends--Experiences and Theories--Antecedents of the
House--Franklin.
CHAPTER III.
ROCHESTER 30
My First Knowledge of the Matter--Hasten to Hydesville--Rapping
on a Canal Boat--Experiences--Mother Comes to Rochester--Calvin
Brown--Devious Route of Projectiles Up-stairs from Cellar to
Garret--A Death-knell Sounded all Night on the Keys of a Locked
Piano.
CHAPTER IV.
ROCHESTER (_Continued_) 47
Ventriloquism--"Proclaim these Truths to the World"--The Call
for the Alphabet--Voices in Raps--God's Telegraph between
the two Worlds--An Eviction--Committee of Five--No Money
Accepted--Improper Questions to Spirits--"Done"--Struggle
against the "Uncanny Thing"--Benjamin Franklin.
CHAPTER V.
ROCHESTER (_Continued_), November, 1848 57
Light Articles made Immovable--The Coffins--Adieu of the
Spirits--Their Return--First Steps toward Public
Investigation--"Hire Corinthian Hall"--First Committee of
Investigation--Second--Third or "Infidel" Committee--Behavior
of a Great Dining-table--The Tar and Torpedo Mob.
CHAPTER VI.
MEDIUMISTIC VEIN IN OUR FAMILY 74
Some Family Antecedents--Our Great-grandmother--Phantom
Prophetic Funerals--Vision of a Tombstone Nine Years in
Advance, etc.
CHAPTER VII.
MEDIUMISTIC VEIN IN OUR FAMILY (_Continued_) 89
Marvellous Writing by a Baby Medium.
CHAPTER VIII.
ROCHESTER (_Continued_) 100
"Repeat the Lord's Prayer"--First Money Accepted--Muscular
Quakerism--Letter from George Willets--Letter from John E.
Robinson--Caution against Consultation of Spirits about
Worldly Interests.
CHAPTER IX.
ALBANY AND TROY. 1850 115
Excursion to Albany--Delavan House and Van Vechten
Hall--Rev. Dr. Staats and the Judges--High Class of
Minds Interested--President Eliphalet Nott--Pecuniary
Arrangements--Excursion to Troy--Trojan Ladies--Mob Attempts
on Life of Margaretta.
CHAPTER X.
NEW YORK. 1850 128
"The Rochester Knockings at Barnum's Hotel"--Hard Work--Our
Visitors--A Poisoned Bouquet--Hair of the Emperor
Napoleon I.--Hair of John C. Calhoun--Investigation at
Residence of Rev. Rufus W. Griswold, by the Leading Literary
Celebrities of New York.
CHAPTER XI.
RETURN TO ROCHESTER 142
Letters and Newspaper Articles Respecting our New York
Campaign--Letter from Amy Post--Letters from John E.
Robinson--Article from a Sunday Newspaper--From the New York
Day-Book--Letter from Dr. C. D. Griswold--Letter from Jacob
C. Cuyler--Article by Horace Greeley--Poem from the Sunday
Dispatch.
CHAPTER XII.
BUFFALO. 1850-51. 165
Urged to Return to New York--Visit to Buffalo--Attempt by a
Pretended Friend to Frighten us Away--Thunderbolt from the
Buffalo Commercial Advertiser--The "Females"--Knee-joint
Theory--Our Reply Challenging Investigation of it--The
Doctors' Day--Mrs. Patchen's Peculiarity.
CHAPTER XIII.
BUFFALO (_Continued_) 179
Investigations upon Investigations--A Meeting at the Phelps
House--Manifestations with Bells, etc.--Mr. Albro's Report--A
Death Scene--Letter from Me to the Commercial Advertiser, and
how I forced its Insertion--Article from the Buffalo Daily
Republic--Letter from Mr. Greeley--Mr. E. W. Capron--Departure
from Buffalo.
CHAPTER XIV.
BUFFALO (_Continued_) 197
Letters from John E. Robinson and Welcome Whittaker.
CHAPTER XV.
EXTRACTS FROM D. M. DEWEY'S HISTORY 206
Letters from Rev. Charles Hammond and John E. Robinson.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE OHIO CAMPAIGN 219
Return to Rochester--Attempted Burglary--Summons to
Ohio--"Rev." C. C. Burr--"Toe-ology"--Gold Medals and
Jewelled Watch--First Public Speech--Committee Investigations
as usual--Calvin's Illness, and henceforth Mrs. Brown--First
Spiritual Convention.
CHAPTER XVII.
MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS CONNECTED WITH THE OHIO CAMPAIGN 231
N. S. Wheeler--E. S. Brownfield--Chillicothe Committee--Charles
F. Whippo--M. L. Wright--D. A. Eddy--Extracts from the
Press--"A Fair Challenge from Mrs. Fish" and Sequel--Columbus
Committee--D. A. Eddy--M. L. Wright--Interesting Letter from
Dear Amy Post--Article from the Cleveland Plaindealer.
CHAPTER XVIII.
NEW YORK CITY, FROM JANUARY, 1852 250
Competing Claims upon Us--Decision in Favor of New York as
Residence--Death of Calvin R. Brown--Remains Removed to
Rochester for Burial--Personal Friendships--Alice and Phoebe
Cary--Course of Test Experiments at Dr. Gray's--The Monday
Evening Circle--Rules of Séances.
CHAPTER XIX.
NEW YORK CITY (_Continued_) 269
Our Brilliant Success with the Superior Intellectual
Classes--Whiskey at Washington--Cognizance of Domestic
Secrets--Discomfiture of Anderson, "the Wizard of the
North"--Remarkable Experience with a very Notorious Person.
CHAPTER XX.
PHOSPHORUS 282
Spirit Lights Visible at Dark Séances--Private Circle in Jersey
City in 1857--Solid Granules of Phosphorus Appearing in Earth
which I had Touched--Surprising and Distressing Letter--The
Good Spirits and Daniel Underhill to the Rescue--Benjamin
Franklin--Marriage to D. Underhill, November 2, 1858, and
Close of my Public Mediumship--Analogous Phenomena in Private
at Home.
CHAPTER XXI.
BOSTON AND THE HARVARD PROFESSORS, 1857 297
Agreement for an Investigation by a Committee of Harvard
Professors--Expulsion of a Student from the Divinity School for
the Crime of Mediumship--Professor Felton--Agassiz--Varley,
the Electrician of the Atlantic Telegraph Company.
CHAPTER XXII.
BOSTON AND THE HARVARD PROFESSORS (_Continued_) 312
Disinterested Judgments upon the Sham Investigation--Our Part
in the Proceedings--More Fair Investigation by the Collective
Representatives of the New England Press--Investigation by a
Body of Unitarian Clergymen--Our Triumphant Return
Home--Theodore Parker.
CHAPTER XXIII.
ROBERT DALE OWEN AND PROFESSOR FELTON, PRESIDENT OF HARVARD
COLLEGE 326
Masterly Letter from Mr. Owen.
CHAPTER XXIV.
EXPERIENCES OF ROBERT DALE OWEN THROUGH THE MEDIUMSHIP OF THE
AUTHOR 339
Moving a Ledge of Rock on the Sea-shore--Raps on the Water, and
in the Living Wood--Seeing the Raps--Moving Ponderable Bodies
by Occult Agency--Crucial Test--A Heavy Dinner-table Suspended
in the Air by Occult Agency.
CHAPTER XXV.
EXPERIENCES OF THE AUTHOR WITH ROBERT DALE OWEN (_Continued_) 348
CHAPTER XXVI.
SPIRIT CURES--MR. CAPRON'S WIFE 361
Statement by E. W. Capron--Wife of General Waddy Thompson, of
South Carolina--Wife of Mr. Davis, of Providence, R. I.
CHAPTER XXVII.
MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS 368
J. Heddon--S. Chamberlain--John E. Robinson--A.
Underhill--George Lee, M.D.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS (_Continued_) 386
E. F. Norton--John E. Robinson--Governor N. P.
Tallmadge--Pauline M. Davis--Same--John E. Robinson--Prof.
J. J. Watson.
CHAPTER XXIX.
SOME OBSERVATIONS ON MEDIUMSHIP 403
Mysteries of Mediumship--To Prove the Immortality of the
Soul--Passivity and Harmony at Séances--Honest and Candid
Scepticism--Imaginary and Self-induced Mediumship--Deceptive
Communications--Cautions--Rappings--Spirits made
Visible--Beware of Fraudulent Mediums--Not all Spirits
Reliable--Cabinets.
CHAPTER XXX.
MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS 415
Felicia Hemans--Spirit Dictations of Music.
CHAPTER XXXI.
MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS (_Continued_) 421
Crowd of Spirits made Visible by Lightning--Scarcely Credible
but True--A Game of Euchre--Margaret's Dream--Mistaken Names
Corrected by Spirits--An Unwilling Convert made Grateful and
Happy--A Spirit Knows better than the Postmaster--Opening
of a Combination Lock--A Visitor Magnetized into a Medium
Himself--Curious Story about a Mutilated Limb--Disturbance in
the Troup Street Cottage--A Caution against Cruelty to Orphan
Children--Mrs. Hopper's Mysterious End--"Touch Samantha"--"I
felt my Handkercher Tied Tighter every Minit"--"No Brimstone
yet"--Kitchen Work by Night--'Sich a Gittin' up Stairs'--The
Death of Isaac T. Hopper--William M. Thackeray--"Witch
Stories"--George Thompson--A Child's Letter--Extracts from
D. Underhill's Minute Book--Practical Jokes Performed and
Rebuked--A Prophetic Dream--James A. Garfield--"Incident"
Related by the Editor.
CHAPTER XXXII.
ACTION OF SPIRITS THROUGH THE MEDIUMSHIP OF A FIVE-MONTH'S-OLD
INFANT 464
Various Manifestations around the Baby--Writing in Greek
through his Hand.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
"THE MISSING LINK" 471
FINALE 475
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
MRS. MARGARET FOX _Frontispiece._
PAGE
JOHN D. FOX 10
DIAGRAM, PROSPECT STREET HOUSE 42
AUTOGRAPH ILLUSTRATIONS OF A BABY'S MEDIUMSHIP 90
MRS. MARGARETTA FOX KANE 122
DIAGRAM, TROUT STREET HOUSE 209
CLEVELAND (OHIO) GOLD MEDAL 225
AUTOGRAPH LETTER OF ALICE CARY 265
AUTOGRAPH LETTER OF SAME 266
AUTOGRAPH LETTER OF JOHN W. EDMONDS 267
AUTOGRAPH LETTER OF HORACE GREELEY 268
DANIEL UNDERHILL 292
MRS. KATIE FOX JENCKEN 465
GREEK WRITING BY A FIVE-MONTH'S-OLD INFANT 470
A. LEAH UNDERHILL (THE AUTHOR) 475
THE HYDESVILLE HOUSE 477
NOTE.--The steel-engraved portraits of the Fox family are from
paintings, of dates very different from those referred to on the
pages which they face. With the exception of the parents (Mr. and
Mrs. Fox), they represent the three "_Fox girls_" (as they were
called) at ages more matured than would correspond to the text of
the pages which they accompany. Photography was not so advanced and
universal as at the present day.
INTRODUCTION.
It is not that the history of Spiritual Manifestations in this century
and country has not again and again been written, nor that a library of
the splendid literature of Spiritualism--narrative, philosophical, and
religious--does not already exist, that I have deemed it a duty to give
this history to the world.
It happens that nobody else possesses--both in vivid personal
recollections and in stores of documentary material--the means and
the data necessary for the task of giving a correct account of the
initiation of the movement known as Modern Spiritualism; and the now
hastening lapse of years gives warning that if to place it on record is
a duty--as many friends have often urged--it is a duty not to be much
longer delayed.
Many mistakes and material omissions have been made in former summary
accounts from pens of friends, as well as misstatements from those of
foes; nor could any one heretofore form any clear or complete idea of
the early years of the epochal period which dates from March 31, 1848.
Since that day, starting from a small country village of Western New
York, Spiritualism has made its way--against tremendous obstacles
and resistances, but under an impulse and a guidance from higher
spheres--round the civilized globe. Starting from three sisters, two of
them children, and the eldest a little beyond that age, clustered round
a matchless mother (whose revered portrait does honor to my title-page),
its ranks of believers, private or publicly avowed, have grown within
thirty-six years to millions whose number no man positively knows, but
which, I think, cannot be less than as many as it counts of years.
Beginning in a small house, temporarily occupied while another was
building, it has established itself in sovereign palaces; and the
latest reports from England represent it as fast growing, under the
encouraging influence of the reigning royal family, even into social
fashionableness. As in the story of the weary forty years' wandering of
the children of Israel in the desert--fed by food and led by light, both
from heaven--so does Spiritualism seem to be now nearing the borders of
its Promised Land. It is but a few years since it was a favorite topic
for scoff or sneer by the press, while now it is but rarely that here
and there is to be found some writer so far lagging behind the march of
the age as still to yield, in that way, to the force of former foolish
habit. How far and how deeply it has modified the old teachings of the
pulpit is patent to all observant eyes; while among the priesthood in
the divine temple of Science, the number and unsurpassed rank of those
who, under its influence, have abandoned the materialism of their old
philosophies, after exhaustive investigation of the facts and truths of
Spiritualism, is such as to stamp with the disgrace of simple ignorance
those who may still dare to deny and deride;--even as history has fixed
the fate of those professors and priests who refused to take a look
through Galileo's telescope; or of those doctors who, being past the
age of forty, could never, to their dying day, accept Harvey's
demonstrations of the circulation of the blood.
It will be seen in the following pages how a vein of that mysterious
something which, in our generation of "the Fox family," has come to
be called "mediumship," is perceptible, cropping out in old stories,
running through ancestral generations, and how it reappears most
marvellously in an infant in the next one succeeding to us. It will
also appear how long and strenuously we resisted its influence and its
manifestations, and struggled against the absolute persecutions which at
last forced us into publicity.
I conclude this Introduction by a brief allusion to the reasonable
question which has been so often asked, _Cui bono?_--or what is the use
of the manifestations of Spiritualism?
It is that they _demonstrate_ the reality of the survival of man's
spirit, or inner self, after that "death" which is but birth into
another stage of progressed and progressive life, in unchanged
personality and identity; or, in other words, that immortality of the
soul (heretofore a mere dogma of unproved and unprovable "faith"), which
is the foundation corner-stone of all religions and of all Religion. In
the words of Paul, to "faith" they "add knowledge." They thus not only
console bereavement, snatch from death its sting, and from the grave its
victory, but through the concurrent teachings of all good and advanced
spirits they make us feel the _real reality_ of the brotherhood of
mankind, and the common fatherhood of that supreme, unnamed, and
unnamable Infinitude of Love, Wisdom, and Power, who is addressed in
Pope's Universal Prayer, as--
"Father of all, in every age,
In every clime adored,
By saint, by savage, and by sage,
Jehovah, Jove, or Lord."
THE MISSING LINK
IN
MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
CHAPTER I.
HYDESVILLE.
"MYSTERIOUS NOISES" HEARD IN THE HOUSE OF JOHN D. FOX, IN
HYDESVILLE (TOWN OF ARCADIA), NEAR NEWARK, WAYNE COUNTY,
N. Y.--STATEMENTS OF WITNESSES.
The following statements were made by the different persons whose names
are signed to them, and taken down in writing as they made them; after
which they were carefully read, and signed by them. They comprise but a
small number of those who heard these noises, or have been knowing to
these transactions; but they are deemed sufficient to satisfy the public
mind in regard to their truthfulness.
CERTIFICATE OF MRS. MARGARET FOX, WIFE OF JOHN D. FOX, THE OCCUPANT OF
THE HOUSE.
"We moved into this house on December 11, 1847, and have resided here
since that date. We formerly lived in the city of Rochester, N. Y.
We were first _disturbed_ by these noises about a fortnight ago. It
sounded like some one knocking in the east bedroom, on the floor; we
could hardly tell where to locate the sounds, as sometimes it sounded as
if the furniture was moved, but on examination we found everything in
order. The children had become so alarmed that I thought best to have
them sleep in the room with us. There were four of us in family, and
sometimes five.
"On the night of the first disturbance we all got up, lighted a candle
and searched the entire house, the noises continuing during the time,
and being heard near the same place. Although not very loud, it produced
a jar of the bedsteads and chairs that could be felt when we were in
bed. It was a tremulous motion, more than a sudden jar. We could feel
the jar when standing on the floor. It continued on this night until we
slept. I did not sleep until about twelve o'clock. On March 30th we were
disturbed all night. The noises were heard in all parts of the house. My
husband stationed himself outside of the door while I stood inside,
and the knocks came on the door between us. We heard footsteps in the
pantry, and walking down-stairs; we could not rest, and I then concluded
that the house must be haunted by some unhappy, restless spirit. I had
often heard of such things, but had never witnessed anything of the kind
that I could not account for before.
"On Friday night, March 31, 1848, we concluded to go to bed early and
not permit ourselves to be disturbed by the noises, but try and get
a night's rest. My husband was here on all these occasions, heard the
noises, and helped search. It was very early when we went to bed on this
night; hardly dark. I had been so broken of my rest I was almost sick.
My husband had not gone to bed when we first heard the noise on this
evening. I had just lain down. It commenced as usual. I knew it from
all other noises I had ever before heard. The children, who slept in
the other bed in the room, heard the rapping, and tried to make similar
sounds by snapping their fingers.
"My youngest child (Cathie) said: 'Mr. Splitfoot, do as I do,' clapping
her hands. The sound instantly followed her with the same number
of raps; when she stopped the sound ceased for a short time. Then
Margaretta said, in sport: 'Now do just as I do; count one, two, three,
four,' striking one hand against the other at the same time, and the
raps came as before. She was afraid to repeat them. Then Cathie said,
in her childish simplicity: 'O mother, I know what it is; to-morrow is
April-fool day, and it's somebody trying to fool us.' I then thought I
could put a test that no one in the place could answer. I asked the
noise to rap my different children's ages, successively. Instantly each
one of my children's ages was given correctly, pausing between them
sufficiently long to individualize them until the seventh, at which a
longer pause was made, and then three more emphatic raps were given,
corresponding to the age of the little one that died, which was my
youngest child. I then asked: 'Is this a human being that answers my
questions so correctly?' There was no rap. I asked: 'Is it a spirit? If
it is, make two raps?' Two sounds were given as soon as the request was
made. I then said: 'If it was an injured spirit, make two raps,' which
were instantly made, causing the house to tremble. I asked, 'Were you
injured in this house?' The answer was given as before. 'Is the person
living that injured you?' Answered by raps in the same manner. I
ascertained by the same method that it was a man, aged thirty one-years;
that he had been murdered in this house, and his remains were buried in
the cellar; that his family consisted of a wife and five children, two
sons and three daughters, all living at the time of his death, but that
his wife had since died. I asked: 'Will you continue to rap if I call in
my neighbors that they may hear it too?' The raps were loud in the
affirmative. My husband went and called in Mrs. Redfield (our nearest
neighbor). She is a very candid woman. The girls were sitting up in bed
clinging to each other and trembling with terror. I think I was as calm
as I am now. Mrs. Redfield came immediately (this was about half past
seven), thinking she would have a laugh at the children; but when she
saw them pale with fright and nearly speechless, she was amazed, and
believed there was something more serious than she had supposed. I asked
a few questions for her, and was answered as before. He told her age
exactly. She then called her husband, and the same questions were asked
and answered. Then Mr. Redfield called in Mr. Duesler and wife, and
several others. Mr. Duesler then called in Mr. and Mrs. Hyde, also Mr.
and Mrs. Jewell. Mr. Duesler asked many questions, and received answers.
I then named all the neighbors I could think of, and asked if any of
them had injured him, and received no answer. Mr. Duesler then asked
questions and received answers. He asked, 'Were you murdered?' Raps
affirmative. 'Can your murderer be brought to justice?' No sound. 'Can
he be punished by the law?' No answer. He then said: 'If your murderer
cannot be punished by the law, manifest it by raps,' and the raps were
made clearly and distinctly. In the same way Mr. Duesler ascertained
that he was murdered in the east bed-room about five years ago, and that
the murder was committed by a Mr. ----, on a Tuesday night, at twelve
o'clock; that he was murdered by having his throat cut with a butcher
knife; that the body was taken down cellar; that it was not buried
until the next night; that it was taken through the buttery, down the
stairway, and that it was buried ten feet below the surface of the
ground. It was also ascertained that he was murdered for his money, by
raps affirmative. 'How much was it, one hundred?' No rap. 'Was it two
hundred?' etc.; and when he mentioned five hundred the raps replied in
the affirmative. Many called in who were fishing in the creek, and all
heard the same questions and answers. Many remained in the house all
night. I and my children left the house. My husband remained in the
house with Mr. Redfield all night. On the next Saturday the house was
filled to overflowing. There were no sounds heard during the day, but
they commenced again in the evening. It was said there were over three
hundred persons present at the time. On Sunday morning the noises were
heard throughout the day by all who came to the house. On Saturday
night, April 1st, they commenced digging in the cellar; they dug until
they came to water, and then gave it up. The noise was not heard on
Sunday evening nor during the night. Stephen B. Smith and wife (my
daughter Maria), and my son, David S. Fox and wife, slept in the room
this night. I have heard nothing since that time until yesterday. In the
forenoon of yesterday there were several questions answered in the usual
way, by rapping. I have heard the noise several times to-day.
[Illustration: _John D. Fox._]
"I am not a believer in haunted houses or supernatural appearances. I am
very sorry that there has been so much excitement about it. It has been
a great deal of trouble to us. It was our misfortune to live here at
this time; but I am willing and anxious that the truth should be known,
and that a true statement should be made. I cannot account for these
noises; all that I know is, that they have been heard repeatedly, as I
have stated. I have heard this rapping again this (Tuesday) morning,
April 4th. My children also heard it. I certify that the foregoing
statement has been read to me, and that the same is true; and that I
should be willing to take my oath that it is so, if necessary.
(Signed) "MARGARET FOX.
"APRIL 11, 1848."
STATEMENT OF JOHN D. FOX.
"I have heard the above statement of my wife, Margaret Fox, read, and
hereby certify that the same is true in all its particulars. I heard the
same rappings which she has spoken of, in answer to the questions, as
stated by her. There have been a great many questions besides those
asked, and answered in the same way. Some have been asked a great many
times, and they have always received the same answers. There has never
been any contradiction whatever.
"I do not know of any way to account for these noises, as being caused
by any natural means. We have searched every nook and corner in and
about the house, at different times, to ascertain if possible whether
anything or anybody was secreted there that could make the noise, and
have not been able to find anything which would or could explain the
mystery. It has caused a great deal of trouble and anxiety.
"Hundreds have visited the house, so that it is impossible for us to
attend to our daily occupations; and I hope that, whether caused by
natural or supernatural means, it will be ascertained soon. The digging
in the cellar will be resumed as soon as the water settles; and then it
can be ascertained whether there are any indications of a body ever
having been buried there; and if there are, I shall have no doubt but
that it is of supernatural origin.
(Signed) "JOHN D. FOX.
"APRIL 11, 1848."
STATEMENT OF WILLIAM DUESLER.
"I live in this place. I moved from Cayuga County here, last October. I
live within a few rods of the house in which these sounds have been
heard. The first I heard anything about them was a week ago last Friday
evening (March 31st). Mrs. Redfield came over to my house, to get my
wife to go over to Mr. Fox's. Mrs. R. appeared to be very much agitated.
My wife wanted me to go over with them, and I accordingly went. When she
told us what she wanted us to go over there for, I laughed at her and
ridiculed the idea of there being anything mysterious about it. I told
her it was all nonsense, and that we would find out the cause of the
noise, and that it could easily be accounted for. This was about nine
o'clock in the evening. There were some twelve or fourteen persons
present when I left them. Some were so frightened that they did not want
to go into the room. I went into the room and sat down on the bed. Mr.
Fox asked a question, and I heard the rapping, which they had spoken of,
distinctly. I felt the bedstead jar when the sounds were produced. Mr.
Fox then asked if it would answer my questions if I asked any; and it
rapped three times. I then asked if it was an injured spirit, and it
rapped. I asked if it had come to hurt any one who was then present. It
did not rap. I then reversed the question, and it rapped. I asked if my
father or I had injured it (as we had formerly lived in that house),
and there was no noise. 'If we have not injured you, manifest it by
rapping,' and we all heard three distinct raps. I then asked if such
or such a one had injured it (meaning the several families who had
formerly lived in the house), and there was no noise. Upon asking the
negatives of those questions the rapping was heard. I then asked if
Mr. ---- (naming a person who had lived in the house at a former period)
had injured it; and if so, to manifest it by rapping, and it made three
raps louder than usual; and at the same time the bedstead jarred more
than it had before. I then inquired if it was murdered for money, and
the sounds were heard. Questions and answers as to different sums of
money were then given as stated by Mr. Fox. All in the room said they
heard the sounds distinctly.
"After that, I went over and got Artemus W. Hyde to come over. I then
asked over nearly all the same questions, and got the same answers. Mr.
Redfield went after David Jewell and wife, and Mr. and Mrs. Hyde also
came in. After they came, I asked the same questions over again, and got
the same answers. I asked if it was murdered by being struck on the
head, and there were no sounds; I then reversed the question, and the
rapping was heard. I then asked if it was stabbed in the side, and there
was no answer. Upon asking the negative of this the rapping was heard.
It usually rapped three times in giving an affirmative answer to my
questions. I then asked if it had its throat cut, and it rapped as
usual. Then, if it was with a butcher knife, and the rapping was heard.
In the same way it was ascertained that it was asleep at the time, but
was awakened when the knife entered its throat; that it struggled and
made some noise and resistance. Then I asked if there was any one in the
house at the time but him, and it did not rap. I then asked if they two
were alone, and the rapping was heard. I then asked if Lucretia Pulver
was there at the time, and there was no rapping. If she had gone away
that night, and if Mrs. ---- was gone away also, and the rapping was
heard each time. There was no rapping heard, only when we asked
questions. I then asked if any one in Hydesville knew of the murder at
the time except ----, and it rapped. Then I asked about a number of
persons, if they knew it, and there was no rapping until I came to
Mrs. ----, and when I came to her name the rapping was heard. Then if
any one but ---- and wife knew of it, and I got no rap. Then if they
were all that knew of the murder, and it rapped. I asked if the body was
put into the cellar, and it rapped. I then asked if it was buried in
different points of the cellar, and to all my questions there was no
rapping, until I asked if it was near the centre, and the rapping was
heard. Charles Redfield then took a candle and went down cellar. I told
him to place himself in different parts of the cellar, and as he did so
I asked the question if a person was over the place where it was buried,
and I got no answer until he stood over a certain place in the cellar,
when it rapped. He then stepped one side, and when I asked the question
there were no noises. This we repeated several times, and we found that
whenever he stood over the one place the rapping was heard, and when he
moved away from that one place, there was no rapping in answer."
NOTE.--The remainder of Mr. Duesler's statement does not vary from that
of my mother and others, and, for want of room, is omitted. It was dated
April 12, 1848.
STATEMENT OF MISS LUCRETIA PULVER.
"I lived in this house all one winter, in the family of Mr. ----. I
worked for them a part of the time, and a part of the time I boarded and
went to school. I lived there about three months. During the latter part
of the time I was there I heard these knockings frequently: in the
bedroom, under the foot of the bed. I heard it a number of nights, as I
slept in the bedroom nearly all the time that I stayed there. One night
I thought I heard a man walking in the buttery. This buttery is near
the bedroom, with a stairway between the two. Miss Amelia Losey stayed
with me that night. She also heard the noise, and we were both much
frightened, and got up and fastened down the windows, and fastened the
door. It sounded as if a person walked through the buttery, down cellar,
and part way across the cellar bottom, and then the noise ceased. There
was no one else in the house at the time except my little brother, who
was asleep in the same room with us. This was about twelve o'clock I
should think. We did not go to bed until after eleven, but had not been
asleep when we heard it striking. Mr. and Mrs. ---- had gone to Loch
Berlin, to be gone till the next day. One morning about a week after
this Mrs. ---- sent me down cellar to shut the outside door (which
fastens on the inside). In going across the cellar I sank knee deep in
the centre of the cellar. It appeared to be uneven and very loose. After
I got up-stairs Mrs. ---- asked me what I screamed for. When I told her,
she laughed at me for being frightened, and said it was only where rats
had been at work in the ground.
"A day or two after this, Mr. ---- carried a lot of dirt into the
cellar, just at night, and was at work there some time. Mrs. ---- told
me that he was filling up the rat-holes.
"A few days before I first heard the noises, or anything of the kind had
ever occurred, a foot-pedlar called there about two o'clock in the
afternoon. Mrs. ---- then told me that Mr. ---- thought they would not
want me any longer, and that I might go home; but, if they wanted me
again they would send for me. Mrs. ---- was going to Loch Berlin, to
stay that night. This was the first I had heard of it. I wanted to buy
some things of the pedlar, but had no money with me, and he said he
would call at our house the next morning and sell them to me. _I never
saw him after that._ Three days after this they sent for me to come and
board with them, and go to school. I accordingly came, and went to
school about one week, when she wanted I should stay out of school
and do house-work, as she had a couple of coats to make over for her
husband. She said they were too large for her husband, and out of
fashion, and she must alter them. They were ripped to pieces when I
first saw them. I should think the pedlar was about thirty years old. I
heard him conversing with Mrs. ---- about his family. He told her how
many children he had, in answer to her inquiry. I do not recollect how
many he said he had. Mrs. ---- told me that he (the pedlar) was an old
acquaintance of theirs. A short time after this Mrs. ---- gave me a
thimble, which she said she had bought of the pedlar, and paid him fifty
cents for. Some time after I had left her I visited her again; and she
said the pedlar had been there again, and showed me another thimble,
which, she said, she had bought of the same pedlar. She said he had
cheated her; that he had sold it to her for pure silver, but it was only
German silver. She also showed me some other things which she said she
had bought of him.
"I did not (and do not now) know what to think of the noises I have
heard. The dog would sit under the bedroom window and howl all night
long. Mr. and Mrs. ---- appeared to be very good folks, only they were
rather quick-tempered.
"This pedlar carried a trunk and a basket, I think, with vials of
essence in it. He wore a black coat and light-colored pants.
"I am willing to swear to the above statement, if necessary.
"LUCRETIA PULVER.
"APRIL 11, 1848."
MRS. ANNA PULVER.
"I was acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. ----. I called on them frequently.
My warping bars were in their chamber, and I used to go there to do my
work. One morning when I went there Mrs. ---- told me that she felt very
badly; that she had not slept much, if any, the night before. When I
asked her what the matter was, she said she didn't know but it was the
fidgets; but she thought she heard something walking about from one room
to another, and that she and Mr. ---- got up and fastened the windows
down. She felt safe after that. I heard her speak about hearing sounds
after that, which she could not account for.
"ANNA PULVER.
"APRIL 11, 1848."
It will be sufficient to sum up the important bearings of this subject
by quoting a few more extracts from the numerous certificates contained
in the little pamphlet published by E. E. Lewis, Esq., of Canandaigua,
N. Y.
"Mr. and Mrs. Weekman lived in this house for a year and a half, and
were frequently startled by the rappings, walking, etc. On several
occasions they sought diligently to discover the cause. He stood with
his hand on the latch, and when the knockings were repeated, suddenly
opened the door and ran into the yard and entirely around the house; but
nothing was ascertained by him."
Mrs. Weekman says: "We heard great noises during the night; sometimes a
sound as if a person was walking in the cellar. (There was nothing but a
single board floor, between the cellar and the upper room, so that the
sound made in one was easily heard in the other.) One night one of our
little girls, who slept in the room where the noises were heard, awoke
us all by her screaming very loudly. My husband and myself, and our
hired girl, all went to the room to see what was the matter with her.
The child sat up in bed, crying and screaming, and it was some time
before we could quiet her enough to get answers to our questions. She
said 'something had been moving around her and over her head and face:
that it was cold, and that she felt it all over her.' This was between
twelve and one o'clock. We took her into bed with us, and it was a long
time before we could get her to sleep in that bed again. At one time Mr.
Weekman heard his name called. (I was away that night, sitting up with a
sick person.) He was awakened, and supposed some one wanted him. He sat
up in bed for some time, but heard no more. We never found out what or
who called him. So many have heard these noises that it seems there must
be something unusual."
Mrs. Jane C. Lape "lived in the family of Mrs. Weekman at the time she
states. There was but one door in the bedroom. When I was doing my
work, I saw a man in the bedroom joining the kitchen. I saw the man
distinctly. I was frightened. I had been in the kitchen a long time, and
knew that nobody could have gone into that room. The man stood facing me
when I saw him. He did not speak, nor did I hear any noise at any time.
He had on light pants, black frock-coat, and cloth cap. He was of
medium size. I knew of no person in that vicinity who would answer that
description. Mrs. Weekman was in another part of the house at that time.
I left the room, and when I returned with Mrs. Weekman there was no
person there. She thought it was some person who wanted to frighten me;
but we were never able to ascertain who or what it was. I have always
thought and still do think that it was supernatural. I had never been a
believer in such things until I saw this."
THE WELL OFFENSIVE.
"We, the undersigned, do hereby certify that during the summer of 1844,
we lived near the house now occupied by John D. Fox; that it was then
occupied by ---- ----; and that, during the summer, the water in that
well was very offensive and bad. We further certify that said well is
within thirty feet of the centre of the cellar under said house.
"(Signed) NORMAN AYRES.
JOHN IRISH.
"ARCADIA, April 18, 1848."
In my brother's statement (see pamphlet by E. E. Lewis, Esq.) was given
a correct account of the digging to find the body of the murdered man in
the cellar.
STATEMENT OF DAVID S. FOX.
"I live about two miles from the house my father, John D. Fox, now
occupies, and where these strange noises were heard. It was a week ago
last Friday, March 31st, when they told me about it. I advised them to
make a thorough search, and I thought they would find a cause for it. I
heard no noise, and after remaining a short time, returned home. The
next morning, April 1, 1848, they sent for me to come again, and they
told me the noises had been heard all night. I went early in the
evening; heard the rapping distinctly. Many questions were asked and
answered by the rapping."
(It is not necessary to here repeat all of David's statement, as the
entire substance of it is given in nearly all the other certificates.)
"A large collection of people had assembled, more than could get into
the house; committees were chosen, and placed in different parts of the
house, that no deception might be practised by any one. These committees
were composed of neighbors and friends, whom we knew to be strictly
honest. I remained in the house until about one o'clock in the morning.
The noises had ceased a little before twelve. After some of the crowd
had left, we commenced digging in the cellar. Before digging I asked the
question: 'In what part of the cellar was your body buried?' naming the
different corners of the cellar. No response was made. 'Was it in the
centre?' The rapping answered affirmatively. Mr. Carlos Hyde went down
in the cellar, walked over the bottom, asking at every point if he was
over the right place, but no rappings were heard until he stood in the
centre of the cellar. It then rapped so that those in the cellar as well
as those in the room above could hear it. We dug about three feet deep,
when the water came in so fast we had to stop. I was here again on
Monday, April 3d, and we commenced digging again in the cellar, and
baling out the water; but we found it impossible to make any headway.
"On Tuesday evening they began digging again. I got a pump, and we took
up the floor and put it in the hole, and began to pump and bale out the
water at the same time. We could not lower the water much and had to
give it up. The water is in the hole, although it is lowering gradually.
I thought, from there being so many respectable people present, and they
having heard the same sounds that I did, that there must be something in
it. I never believed in haunted houses or anything of that kind. I have
heard of such things, but never saw or heard anything but what I could
account for on reasonable grounds. I cannot account for this noise as
being produced by any human agency. I am perfectly willing to take my
oath as to the truth of the statements which I have here made, if it is
thought necessary.
"(Signed) DAVID S. FOX.
"TUESDAY, April 11, 1848."
CHAPTER II.
HYDESVILLE (_Continued_).
THE LAST DIGGING IN THE CELLAR--MOB ANTAGONISM--NOBLE
FRIENDS--EXPERIENCES AND THEORIES--ANTECEDENTS OF THE
HOUSE--FRANKLIN.
It was late in July, 1848. The old house at Hydesville was not occupied
by any one, save the "murdered man." Many went there alone, or in small
parties; and often the rappings were heard.
We, too, visited the old house, went down into the cellar, and called on
the spirits to answer our questions and direct us aright.
Notwithstanding all the bitter conflicts we had passed through in
Rochester, we had come to the conclusion that good spirits (as well as
bad ones) could manifest themselves to us. We were greatly favored in
our early associations with a class of progressive philanthropic people
among our neighbors, whose highest aim was to benefit the world, and
who urged us to go forth and do our duty. We learned from them to take
a more liberal view, as they had taught us many valuable lessons of
forbearance and perseverance. When I saw my dear good brother bow with
the others, and ask questions of the Spirits, my soul and all within me
was lifted beyond the scoffs and ridicule which I knew we must submit to
if we performed the heavy duties incumbent upon us. There had been great
excitement for a time, but little now was said in that vicinity about
it, as there had been so much ridicule attached to the occurrences of
the past, that the leaders shrank from further publicity. But, during
this time, we were having our experiences in Rochester, where I resided.
It was now directed by the Spirits that the digging should be resumed.
(It was the dry season of the year, and the water in the Ganargua[1]
was low.) My brother declared that he could not again enter upon so
hazardous an undertaking. He believed himself capable of acting on
his own judgment in the matter. But for once he found, to his utter
discomfiture, that the mighty powers that seemed to rule our destiny
were not to be defeated. The Spirits directed that he should invite
certain gentlemen to assist in the digging. They spelled out the names
of many Rochester friends, viz., Henry Bush, Lyman Granger, Mr. Post,
Dr. Faulkner, and Rev. A. H. Jervis. The above-named were old and tried
friends, and we felt no hesitation in calling upon them; but when David
was requested to invite gentlemen living in the vicinity of Hydesville,
with whom he had little or no acquaintance, he positively refused to do
their bidding. The friends in Rochester received this announcement with
apparent satisfaction. All came at the appointed time. Mr. and Mrs.
Granger and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Bush, Mrs. Jervis, Dr. Faulkner and
his little son, etc. I doubt if either of these gentlemen had ever used
the pickaxe and spade before; but they came willing to perform their
duty. Brother David still declared that he could not, and would not,
make himself so ridiculous as to invite men who would laugh at him for
entertaining such an idea; but still the Spirits commanded him to obey
instructions, and nightly they would go through the performance of
representing the murder scene. (This occurrence was in my brother's
house.) Gurgling, strangling, sawing, planing, and boring; representing
the enactment of the horrid crime said to have been committed in the
Hydesville house.
[1] The old Indian name of the creek.
Our friends urged David to act in accordance with the request of the
"Spirits," but he could not make up his mind to do so. He walked from
room to room, and in secret prayed that this terrible injunction might
be removed. He cried, with uplifted hands, to God, to have compassion on
our family; and then, in despair, would say: "Better to die together,
than to live so disgraced." The sight of his grief and despair was
heart-rending; but the Spirits were inexorable. The day appointed for
the digging arrived. During the previous, night all was in an uproar.
The sounds as of broken crockery were heard, and as if heavy weights
were dragged across the floor. Sawing, planing, digging, boring,
groaning, and whispering close to our ears. This continued until the
bright, beautiful dawn of the morning warned us that it was time to
prepare for the labors of the day. We were commanded by the Spirits
thus--"Go forth and do your duty, and good will come of it." Chauncy
Culver, my brother's wife's brother, called in, and David said:
"Chauncy, you are politely invited to join us in the digging to-day." He
answered, "I am willing to do so, Dave." Others who had been named, but
not invited, dropped in by chance, and all united with us; but the great
burden fell upon David's shoulders. Chickens were cooked, puddings,
pies, cakes, and sweet-meats were prepared by my brother's wife,
Elizabeth, and my sister Maria. Our living was sumptuous, and we had
very little opposition during the first day's work. The earth was hard
and dry, and the digging tiresome; but the party worked diligently until
near noon, when they came to a quantity of charcoal and traces of lime
(this was between four and five feet below the cellar bottom), some hair
of a reddish or sandy hue, and some teeth, which showed, beyond all
question, that the earth had at some time, and for some purpose, been
disturbed. The party worked on until it began to grow dark, and the
first day's work was ended. We returned to David's home, about two miles
from the Hydesville house, well satisfied with our day's work, and the
friends felt that they had done all in their power to get at the truth
of the Spirits' declaration.
We made two large beds on opposite sides of the parlor; the women and
children rested upon one of them, and the men on the other; Dr.
Faulkner and his little son being in the parlor bedroom. All heard the
manifestations that night; and they were most wonderful in character.
This arrangement of the beds was directed by the Spirits, that they
might gratify all by making manifestations during the night.
The next day we resumed our labor. The ladies accompanied their husbands
and friends. We had started as early as possible. Mr. S. B. Smith, my
sisters husband, my brother David, and some of the neighbors turned out
five or six wagons to convey us to our destination, forming quite a
procession of our own; but as we came to the turn of the hill, from
whence we could see in all directions, there were vehicles of every
description wending their way to the "haunted house." Shouts of ribaldry
and roars of laughter fell upon our ears like the death-knell of some
poor soul--who might almost begin to feel himself guilty of crimes he
had never committed.
We entered the cellar. On came the noisy rabble. Our noble, pale-faced,
honorable men stood firm in their duty. Mark the contrast, dear readers:
many of those noble souls now stand in the higher ranks in glory. They
have passed through the fiery furnace, entered the "golden gate" of the
new Jerusalem; and to them offer your praises and admiration. Such men
and women as those dared to stand before the world and battle for the
right. It was _such as they_ who fought and won the great battle against
slavery and contributed to its overthrow. May they continue to live in
the memories of the children of earth.
Through the second day the digging was frequently interrupted by the
rude entrance of some of the outside crowd. We (the women) formed a
guard around the place where the work was in progress, to protect the
men thus engaged. We had candles in our hands, with which to light the
laborers, when suddenly one of the workers cried out, "Great God! here
are the pieces of a broken bowl!" (The Spirit always said that the bowl
which caught his blood was buried; and he represented nightly the sound
of pouring blood into a vessel or bowl, dropping slower and slower,
until at last it ceased entirely; and then the sound would come as if
the bowl were thrown and broken in pieces.) Several bones were found
which doctors pronounced human bones, stating to what parts of the body
they belonged. One, I remember, was said to be from the ankle, two from
the hands, and some from the skull, etc. (Some persons, who never saw
these bones, argued that they were not human bones, hair, and teeth
which were there found. But I ask, in the name of common sense, how did
they happen to be there, nearly six feet beneath the cellar bottom?)
In the afternoon the crowd outside grew more bold, and among them were
sympathizers with the man who was accused by the general public opinion.
We pitied him, and regretted that he had been named; but we never knew
that such a man had lived, until the neighbors had brought out the fact
by putting questions which were answered by the rappings.
These spectators were becoming more and more excited, and crowded into
the cellar. Some called us crazy. They reached over the heads of the
women and spat upon and dropped sticks and stones on those who were
digging. We still stood firm in the defence of our friends, the laboring
party; and they worked on until they struck what seemed to be a board.
This sounded hollow, and its location was beneath the sand and gravel.
They procured an augur and bored through the obstruction, when the augur
dropped to the handle. They then obtained bits, and attached them to
long sticks, and with them bored several inches, when the bit would
drop to the depth of a foot or more. In this way they lost two of the
bits, which dropped through and were not recovered. By this time the
excitement was overwhelming. The cellar was filled with people. Some
cried, "Drag out the women! drag them out!" Others said, "Don't hurt
the women, drag out the men!" The floor over our heads creaked with the
weight of the multitude. It grew dark. Our friends could work no longer,
and reluctantly retired. How we all reached the outside, amid the shouts
and the roar of the excited crowd, I cannot explain; but at length we
stood together in the door-yard, awaiting our conveyances, and no word
of disrespect was spoken to any of us. The Spirits said: "Dear faithful
friends, your work here is done. God will reward you."
"Yes," said that noble-looking man, Henry Bush, with the acquiescence of
all, "our work is done."
We all returned to David's (the old homestead). That night and the
following day our friends returned to Rochester. We remained a few days
with our family.
I must pass over many interesting circumstances, or it will be wholly
impossible to put our story in one volume: but I deem it due to my
family that some facts should be stated in this history.
After the public parts we had been forced to perform at Hydesville, the
news spread far and wide. The crowd of people came in wagons from every
direction before the harvest had been gathered. Some drove through the
gate, but others took down the fences, and drove through the grain
fields, and peppermint beds, regardless of the destruction they were
perpetrating. Against all this destruction of his property, David was
defenceless. He saw and felt how utterly useless it was for him to
attempt to remonstrate with such an element.
It was late in the afternoon when a tired horseman came galloping up the
carriage road, to inform my brother that a party consisting of several
wagon-loads were on their way to mob us. At this announcement we were
much frightened, and knew not what to do. Intimations of such a design
had reached us previously, and powder and shot had been provided for our
defence. The boys and hired men had gathered piles of stones behind the
house, and at first it was considered to be our wisest way to defend
ourselves as best we could.
The sun was low and we dreaded the night coming on. What could we do?
Mother called us all into the parlor bedroom, and there we knelt, with
fear, and prayed to God for protection. The Spirits spelled out to us,
"You will not be harmed. God will protect you." We stood for a moment
and counselled together. The package of powder flew from the top of the
bureau and hit Cathie on the forehead, and that of the shot came and
struck me on the shoulder. My brother took the guns and fired them off,
and threw the powder and shot into the peppermint patch, saying, "I will
not raise a hand against them. If God has sent this upon us, for the
good of mankind, he is able to protect us. I will trust him."
The windows were fastened down as best we could. The dog began to bark
fearfully. We heard the distant shouts and snatches of songs, and knew
they would soon be upon us. They drove up the road, into the yard, and
one woman jumped through the window of the kitchen, _hoops and all_. She
was in the kitchen before any of us knew they had entered the door-yard.
David left us alone in the parlor, walked into the kitchen, and said to
the woman, "If you had knocked I would have opened the door for you; it
was not locked." He then opened all the doors, walked out to the crowd,
and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, walk in. You are welcome to search the
house from garret to cellar, if you will do so respectfully." One man,
the leader of the crowd, exclaimed, in a manner of the utmost surprise:
"My God! Dave Fox, is it you they have said so much about? No, we won't
come in now. We'll go home and dress ourselves and come another time."
Thus ended this mob against the Spiritualists, as all others
subsequently have ended. The Spirits, therefore, fulfilled their promise
and protected us from all harm.
I might fill many a page with the experiences of the family in that
house at Hydesville, during the period of about three months and three
weeks preceding that March 31, 1848, on which the neighbors were first
called in. From the very first night of their taking possession of it,
they were disturbed and puzzled with the strange knockings and other
noises. They had gone into it only as a temporary home, while my father
was building the new house on the homestead farm, and the carpenter had
estimated a couple of months as sufficient time for his work. All sorts
of natural theories were imagined as to the cause of the sounds, nor did
they, for some time, think of Spirits or of anything supernatural, or
even important. Father insisted, at one time, that they proceeded from a
cobbler in the neighborhood, hammering leather, and working late in the
night. Then it was "some boards that must be loose and shaken by the
wind." Then it appeared that "there must be dancing going on at Mr.
Duesler's, or some other house within hearing;" then "the house must be
full of rats"--though mother declared she had never seen a rat in it.
Again, when the knocks would break out suddenly, close to some of the
family, or at the table, one of the girls would charge the other with
having caused them, saying, "Now you did that," etc., etc. Father had
always been a regular Methodist, in good standing, and was invariable
in his practice of morning prayers; and when he would be kneeling upon
his chair, it would sometimes amuse the children to see him open wide
his eyes, as knocks would sound and vibrate on his chair itself. He
expressed it graphically to mother: "When I am done praying, that
jigging stops." My daughter Lizzie used to declare that when she was
writing, there would sometimes come a strong ticking on the paper. One
night loud screams were heard from the children, Maggie and Cathie, in
bed. "O mother, come quick. Somebody has lain down across the bed."
They were often so frightened that mother would have to take them to
lie on both sides of her in her bed, and sometimes they would go, one
to father's bed and the other to mother's. But these frights were
attributed to bad dreams. Indeed, it now seems strange that so little
serious impression was made on their minds for so long a time by these
strange things, so persistent, so varied, and so inexplicable, which
they instinctively abstained from talking about to the neighbors.
It was not till March 31st that they seemed to have culminated to the
point which exhausted their patience, and which at last drove them to
do so. On the preceding night they had been kept awake nearly all
night by the knocking and heavy poundings about the house; and up to
three o'clock in the morning they were occupied pursuing the sounds
about from place to place, puzzling over them, and baffled in every
attempt to discover a cause. The door would be pounded upon from the
outside, and father would take hold of the handle, and on the return
of the knocking would suddenly fling the door open, only to discover
nothing. He and mother stood on the opposite sides of it, and each
would hear the knocking on the side opposite to themselves, as though
made by powerful muffled knuckles. Yet on neither side could be found
traces of any person or thing to have produced them, while both would
_feel_ the strong vibrations of the wooden door.
It was afterward learned that, for several years back, strange noises
had been heard by successive occupants of that house, none of whom had
remained long as its tenants. Prior to its occupation by a certain
family there had been no such disturbances; subsequently to then, they
had been experienced by all their successors. It would be easy for me to
name families of the highest respectability, and who are still my good
friends, who would attest this.[2]
[2] It would seem that none of the families who, in the course of
several years, had preceded the Fox family in the occupancy of
this haunted house, combined the highly mediumistic nature with
the other characteristics specially qualifying them for the great
work for which the time was ripe, so that the manifestations,
which appealed for attention, had knocked in vain at doors which
could not open to them. Dr. Franklin, great philosopher and
inventor of his time, was also, in the Spirit life, one of the
inventors of this mode of communication between the two worlds,
through knockings given in correspondence with the letters of the
alphabet. Through another medium, besides the author of this
volume, he has told me that out of "millions" he at last found
in the Fox family the instruments he wanted for its practical
application and introduction. This narrative curiously shows how
hard and long they too struggled against the mission to which the
Spirits were leading and at last forcing them, as will be seen
below. I asked him if Spirits had influenced them to take the
Hydesville house. His reply was a curious one. Instead of three
consecutive and decided raps, which would have expressed assent,
he on two occasions answered with only two raps, followed after a
moment's pause with a third, completing a qualified affirmative.
"You mean that it was partially so?" I said; which was immediately
answered with an unqualified assent; and he added, "It was many,
not one alone," thus disclaiming the credit of its sole and
individual authorship.--ED.
CHAPTER III.
ROCHESTER
MY FIRST KNOWLEDGE OF THE MATTER--HASTEN TO HYDESVILLE--RAPPING ON
A CANAL BOAT--EXPERIENCES--MOTHER COMES TO ROCHESTER--CALVIN
BROWN--DEVIOUS ROUTE OF PROJECTILES UP-STAIRS FROM CELLAR TO
GARRET--A DEATH-KNELL SOUNDED ALL NIGHT ON THE KEYS OF A LOCKED
PIANO.
This volume is not meant to be an autobiography, though I regret to
be compelled to speak so much of myself in giving an account of the
inauguration of the movement known as "Modern Spiritualism," through the
three sisters of the Fox family, of whom I was the eldest, and already
married when my two sisters, Margaretta and Catharine, were children. I
was not with the family, but at my own house in Rochester, during most
of the events related above.
I was myself also at that time but little more than a child, for when
I was married at Rochester, N. Y., I could count but fourteen years
and five months. It will be seen below how I was twice widowed before
the age of twenty-four, though my second marriage was on the supposed
death-bed of one who had been a brother to us all from childhood, and
who merely desired to bequeath me his name.
Mr. Fish discovered when too late that he had married a child, and soon
became indifferent to his home and family. He left Rochester under a
pretence of going on business to the West. The next I heard of him was
that he had married a rich widow in the State of Illinois.
As he had left little means for the support of myself and child, I
turned my attention to teaching music. I had many friends who assisted
me in getting pupils, and I was delighted to find myself entirely
independent. One day (early in May, 1848), I was at the house of Mr.
Little, enjoying myself with the young ladies, when Mrs. Little came
in with the proof-sheet of a pamphlet issued by E. E. Lewis, Esq.,
of Canandaigua, N. Y. Mrs. Little knew my maiden name was Fox; that
my parents (at the time) were in Arcadia, Wayne County, N. Y., and
concluded I must be the daughter of John D. Fox. She then introduced
the printer, and he commenced questioning me about my family relations.
He said, "Is your mother's name Margaret? Have you a brother David?"
I replied, yes. I began to be startled by his questions, and said,
"For mercy's sake, what has happened?" He answered by placing the
proof-sheet in my hands, which gave me the first idea I ever had of the
manifestations which had been taking place at the dwelling of our family
in Hydesville. I read it, and cried over it. I knew not what to think,
but I said to them all, "If my father, mother, and brother David have
certified to such a statement, _it is true_." All who heard me thus
declare believed it, and never wavered for a moment. As soon as I could
collect my thoughts, I called on Mrs. Granger and Mrs. Grover, old
friends of mine and of our family, and related to them the account
which I had read in the proof-sheet.
I told them I should take the night boat for Newark, Wayne County. I
would visit my family, and learn for myself about the mysterious affair.
They concluded to go with me. We were, at that time, obliged to travel
by the Erie Canal packet-boat, as the direct railroad between Syracuse
and Rochester had not yet been built. It took a few hours longer then
than now to make that journey. When we arrived at Hydesville, which is
about two miles from our old homestead, we found the house deserted. My
brother had persuaded the family to leave the old "haunted house," and
live with him until their new house was finished.
We drove to brother David's, where we found mother completely broken
down by the recent events. She never smiled; but her sighs and tears
were heart-rending. We begged her to hope for the best, and try to think
differently; but she could not. She wished we could all die; and it was,
at the time, impossible to cheer her by anything we could say or do. She
was only about middle age, and her health had always been good; and she
was, by nature, very cheerful.
I with the ladies who accompanied me remained about two weeks, when we
concluded to take Katie and Lizzie (my daughter) with us and return home
to Rochester, as mother thought the former to be the one followed mostly
by the sounds; and we hoped, by separating the two children (Maggie and
Katie), that we could put a stop to the disturbance.
We had not gone many miles on the canal, however, when we became aware
that the rapping had accompanied us. Perfect consternation came upon us.
I knew not what to do. We did not wish our friends to know that the
rapping had followed us; and we remained, as much as possible, by
ourselves.
When we went to the dinner-table with the other passengers, the Spirits
became quite bold and rapped loudly; and occasionally one end of the
table would jump up and nearly spill the water out of our glasses; but
there was so much noise on the boat going through the locks and other
disturbances, that only we, who recognized the special sounds, knew of
them. We arrived at home about 5 P.M. I sat down to think over the
occurrences of the day and of other days during my visit.
The two girls had gone into the garden. All at once came a dreadful
sound, as if a pail of bonnyclabber had been poured from the ceiling and
fallen upon the floor near the window. The sound was horrible enough,
but, in addition, came the jarring of the windows and of the whole
house, as if a heavy piece of artillery had been discharged in the
immediate vicinity. I was so paralyzed by fear that I could not move,
and sat stupefied; again came the same terrible sound, with all the
jarring, as at first; and yet again it came; when I sprang from the sofa
on which I had been seated and rushed out into the garden where the
children were. They immediately cried out, "Why, what is the matter with
you, Leah? how pale you look!" I made some evasive reply, as I did not
wish to alarm them.
We went to bed at an early hour, being tired and much excited. The
children had expressed great fear, and I went to bed with them. No
sooner had I extinguished the light, than the children screamed, and
Lizzie said she felt a cold hand passing over her face, and another over
her shoulder down her back. She screamed fearfully, and I feared she
would go into spasms. Katie was also much frightened. For my part I was
equally terror-stricken. I arose from my bed and sought the Bible, from
which I read a chapter. But while I was reading the girls felt some
touches. I had never felt them; and I could not realize that they were
not in some way mistaken.
It was now late in the night and all was silent. We thought we would try
to sleep, as we were tired and excited. But the instant we extinguished
our light the Bible flew from under my pillow--where I had placed it,
supposing that the sacred volume would be respected. The box of matches
was shaken in our faces, and such a variety of performances ensued that
we gave up in despair to our fate, whatever it might be. We called on
each other, if either was silent a few moments, that we might know
that we were all alive. Finally, when the night was nearly spent, the
disturbance ceased, and we fell asleep. We did not awake until very late
in the morning. The sun shone brightly, and the birds sang sweetly in
the trees of the public square. (Our residence then was on Mechanics'
Square.) The June roses were just out, and all nature was in her
loveliest hues. We could not make the disturbances of the past night
seem real to us. I doubted everything, but kept my own counsel; and as
the shades of evening fell upon the scene, which had been a day of such
brightness and beauty, I made up my mind that I would go on as usual and
try to forget, as far as possible, the frightful occurrences of the
previous night. In the evening my friend Jane Little and two or three
other friends called in to spend an hour or so with us. We sang, and I
played on the piano; but even then, while the lamp was burning brightly,
I felt the deep throbbing of the dull accompaniment of the invisibles,
keeping time to the music as I played; but I did not wish to have
my visitors know it, and the Spirits seemed kind enough not to make
themselves heard so that others would observe what was so apparent to
me.
All seemed quiet when we retired for the night, at about ten o'clock.
We slept quietly for about two hours, when we were awakened by the most
frightful manifestations. The house was in a perfect uproar. Tables and
everything in the room below us were being moved about. Doors were
opened and shut, making the greatest possible noises. _They then walked
up-stairs_ and into the room next to us (our bedroom was an open recess
off from this room). There seemed to be many actors engaged in the
performance, and a large audience in attendance.
The representation of a pantomime performance was perfect.
After the first scene, there was great applause by the Spirit audience.
Immediately following, one Spirit was heard to dance _as if with clogs_,
which continued fully ten minutes. This amused the audience very much;
and a loud clapping of hands followed. After this we heard nothing more
except the representation of a large crowd walking away down-stairs,
through the rooms, closing the doors heavily after them. It is useless
to attempt to record all the manifestations which occurred nightly
during the last few weeks that we remained in that house. I came to the
conclusion that it was haunted, and decided to move out of it as soon as
I could find another house that suited me.
There was a house on Prospect Street, nearly finished, and I engaged
it. I was particular to tell the agent that I wanted a house in which
no crime had been committed. For I believed that the house I was then
living in, like the one at Hydesville, was haunted; and I presumed that
in this case as in the other it must have had its origin in hidden
crime. He smiled as he remarked that he "thought that I would have
no difficulty on that account." We moved into this house as soon as
possible, and congratulated ourselves on our good fortune in finding a
place that had never before been tenanted.
Two houses stood on one foundation. On the ground floor was a kitchen,
cellar, and pantry. The staircase led from the kitchen to the second
floor. On the outside, a front and rear flight of steps led to a balcony
from which we could enter the parlor and dining-room, on the second
floor. Another flight of steps led from the dining-room to the third
floor, which was one room the entire length and breadth of the house. In
this last-named room we put up three beds, and one bed in the room on
the parlor floor. I partitioned off a small room in one corner of the
upper floor with chintz curtains. This lessened the size of the large
room and afforded us a store-room. In the rear of the house was an
old cemetery, called "the Buffalo Burying-ground." This cemetery was
separated from our lot by a high fence. I remember I disliked the idea
of seeing those tall monuments every time I went into the pantry. (The
entrance into the dining-room from the kitchen was through the pantry.)
Nothing occurred, during the first night of our occupancy of this house,
of an unusual character, and we slept undisturbed.
I had written to our family at Arcadia, and told them what was
transpiring with us nightly. This worried mother, and she determined to
come immediately, and find some plan for suppressing it, if it could
possibly be done. She, with Margaretta, arrived the next day, and we
rejoiced to tell her that we had occupied the new house one night, and
no sounds had been heard to disturb us. After supper we remained at the
table a long time, until mother suggested that it was getting late, and
we had better retire for the night.
All was quiet until about midnight, when we distinctly heard footsteps
coming up the stairs, walking into the little room I had partitioned
off with curtains, which seemed admirably adapted to their purposes. We
could hear them shuffling, giggling, and whispering, as if they were
enjoying themselves at some surprise they were about to give us.
Occasionally they would come and give our bed a tremendous shaking,
lifting it (and us) entirely from the floor, almost to the ceiling, and
then let us down with a bang; then pat us with hands. Then they would
retire to the little room, which we subsequently named "the green room."
At length we were quiet, and all fell asleep and slept until late in the
morning.
The sun shone brightly in through the window, and mother exclaimed: "Can
it be possible? Is it really true? How can we live and endure it? We
cannot much longer stay here alone nights. We must have somebody to stay
with us." Fillmore Grover came to take his lesson, and mother asked him
to tell Calvin she would like to have him call and see her. (Calvin
Brown's mother had been left a widow when quite young. She was the
daughter of Daniel Hopkins, of Canada West, and belonged to the Society
of Friends. She married out of the society, which was then against their
discipline. She placed her oldest child, Calvin, in a military school;
and when she found herself gradually failing in strength, she wrote to
her father, who came and took her home, with her three younger children.
She returned once to Rochester, and requested mother to look after
Calvin, and care for him as she would for her own child, if she should
not recover. His mother died, and he called my parents father and
mother; the same as the rest of us.)
He called at about two o'clock. We all sat down and related what had
happened and what we had witnessed during the past night. He promised
to come and stay there at night; but he advised us to ask no questions,
nor give them any encouragement, as he considered them evil spirits. To
this we all agreed.
He came that night, and we were allowed to rest quietly until about two
o'clock, when we were all awakened by a disturbance in the "green room."
Everything seemed to be in commotion, but, as Calvin was in the house,
I felt more confidence in myself. I asked them to please behave
themselves. At this, one Spirit walked around, as if on his bare feet.
He answered my question by stamping on the floor. I was amused--although
afraid. He seemed so willing to do my bidding that I could not resist
the temptation of speaking to him as he marched around my bed. I said,
"_Flat-Foot_,[3] can you dance the Highland fling?" This seemed to
delight him. I sang the music for him, and he danced most admirably.
This shocked mother, and she said, "O Leah, how can you encourage
that fiend, by singing for him to dance?" I soon found that they took
advantage of my familiarity, and gathered in strong force around us. And
here language utterly fails to describe the incidents that occurred.
Loud whispering, giggling, scuffling, groaning, death-struggles, murder
scenes of the most fearful character--I forbear to describe them. Mother
became so alarmed that she called to Calvin to come up-stairs. He
came--angry at the Spirits, and declared that "he would conquer, or die
in the attempt." This seemed to amuse them. They went to his bed, raised
it up and let it down, and shook it violently. He was still determined
not to yield to them.
[3] As from the sounds of the foot-falls it seemed to us.
Before Calvin came up-stairs, and during a short lull in their
performances, we quickly removed our beds to the floor, hoping thereby
to prevent them from raising us up and letting us down with such
violence. Calvin said, as he came up, that we were foolish to make our
beds on the floor, as it pleased the Spirits to see how completely
they had conquered us. So he laid down on his bed, and quietly waited
developments. Mother said, "Calvin, I wish your bed was on the floor,
too. We have not been disturbed since we left the bedstead." Calvin
remarked, "They are up to some deviltry now. I hear them." He no sooner
uttered these words, than a shower of slippers came flying at him as he
lay in his bed. He bore this without a murmur. The next instant he was
struck violently with his cane. He seized it and struck back, right and
left, with all his strength, without hitting anything; but received a
palpable _bang_ in return for every thrust he made. He sprang to his
feet and fought with all his might. Everything thrown at him he pitched
back to them, until a brass candlestick was thrown at him, cutting his
lip. This quite enraged him. He pronounced a solemn malediction, and,
throwing himself on the bed, vowed he would have nothing more to do with
"fiendish Spirits."
He was not long permitted to remain in quiet there. They commenced
at his bedstead and deliberately razed it to the floor, leaving the
head-board in one place, the foot-board in another, the two sides at
angles, and the bed-clothes scattered about the room. He was left lying
on his mattress, and for a moment there was silence; after which some
slight movements were heard in the "green room." I had stowed a large
number of balls of carpet-rags in an old chest standing on the floor,
with two trunks and several other articles on the top of it. It seemed
but the work of a moment for them to get at the carpet-balls, which came
flying at us from every direction, hitting us in the same place every
time. They took us for their target, and threw with the skill of an
archer. Darkness made no difference with them, and if either of us
attempted to remonstrate against such violence, they would instantly
give _the remonstrant_ the benefit of a ball.
The next day was Sunday. We were greatly depressed, and decided to leave
things as they were. After breakfast we concluded to visit Mount Hope
Cemetery. We returned late, and retired immediately after supper. While
sitting on our bed-side (on the floor), deliberating in our own minds
what was best to do, we were suddenly startled by a tremendous knocking
on the roof of the house. (The raps always appear to be made on the
opposite side of the door, or floor, table, etc.) We implored them to
stay where they were (as it seemed the noises were outside the house),
and let us alone; but no sooner was the request made, than a sound slap
was given us each, as if in reproof of what we had been saying. A second
slap, as if with an open hand, was administered to Cathie, when she
cried out, "O, look!" We all saw what seemed to be the form of a large
man, lying across the foot of our bed, breathing irregularly, and
apparently in great distress. (The sheet was wrapped around him, muffled
closely about his neck.) His gurgling manifestation was terrific, and
produced a sensible vibration. We pitied him. He appeared like one
passing through the agonies of death. While we were contemplating
this figure, another slap came upon Cathie,[4] and she fell to
all appearance lifeless. We were greatly alarmed at this terrible
manifestation. We knew nothing of Clairvoyance, Magnetism, or Trance
Mediums, at that time. We had no one to advise us, and we were nearly
distracted. Calvin took a looking-glass and held it close to Cathie's
mouth, but we could discern no signs of life. Finally we were on the
point of calling some one in, when a deep groan announced that she
lived. We held her hands, but could not perceive the slightest
pulsation. After remaining in this unconscious state for some time, she
again moaned piteously and raised her hand, pointing at something she
saw, and explained to us afterward. We asked many questions which she
answered by pressing our hands. She described the terrible occurrence at
the Hydesville house, and when the influence left her, she wept
inconsolably for a long time.
[4] My youngest sister Catharine is sometimes called Cathie in
these pages and sometimes Katie. Mother and father always
called her Cathie and it was her domestic name. At a later
period the public always spoke and wrote of her as Katie, so
that that appellation came practically to supersede the other.
But now, while writing of the period here referred to, the
Cathie rises spontaneously, and for mother's sake I love to let
it so stand, pronouncing it to myself as she did, _Cathie_, as
a diminutive of Catharine.
After she became quiet a holy influence fell upon her, and she repeated
twenty or thirty verses of poetry. I can only remember the last line of
each verse, which was:
"To be with Christ is better far."
After this things changed somewhat. We heard the sounds at all times of
day and night, variously located in different parts of the house, but in
a much milder form; unless some of us attempted to go contrary to their
wishes. Often at meal-time the table would be gradually agitated, and
Calvin in particular would be more disturbed than the rest of us. Once
he arose from his chair and reached across the table for a heavy pitcher
of water, when the chair was instantly removed and he sat down on the
floor, spilling the water all over himself. He instantly arose and with
an execration denounced the whole thing as the work of the devil and his
imps. Of course we laughed at his calamity, and he thought we should not
encourage such things by laughing at them. He often laughed about it,
years afterward, as heartily as we had done.
[Illustration: A, Handrail to landing from second floor. B, Bed occupied
by Calvin. C, Our mattresses laid together on the floor. D, E, Beds. F,
A store-room. The dotted lines, with arrows, show the route taken by the
vegetables from the store-room or kitchen floor to their destination two
stories above.]
We had stored our winter provisions in the cellar. Among them were
several barrels of apples, potatoes, turnips, etc. From this cellar came
the apples, potatoes, and turnips flying across our room, hitting all
in precisely the same place every time. It will now be remembered that
these articles were in the cellar on the ground floor, and had to come
from the rear of the cellar, through the door, into the kitchen, through
the kitchen, up the stairs, into the pantry on the second floor, through
the pantry into the dining-room, up the second flight of stairs, into
the large room in which we slept, hitting us as we lay in our beds near
the front window. The reader can trace their pathway from departure to
arrival at their destination on the diagram of the three stories.
A cabinet shop was the next thing represented by the Spirits. They
seemed to be possessed of all kinds of tools to work with. After sawing
off boards they would let them fall heavily on the floor, jarring
everything around them. Then after planing, jointing, driving nails, and
screwing down the lid of a coffin, they would shove the hollow sounding
article about the room. (This we understood at a later day.) Often, to
our utter amazement, pickets from the discarded lots in the cemetery
came flying through the room over our heads, on our beds, like débris in
a tornado. They came from the extreme west side of the burying-ground,
through _that_ lot, and the distance of two hundred feet through _our_
lot; an entire distance of about four hundred feet. That they came by no
visible means, we knew; as no human power could have thrown them through
the air into our chamber window, hitting us on our beds, in the same
place every time.
Mrs. Vick and her three daughters lived in the other house, on the same
foundation as our own. She was a very quiet neighbor, and sympathized
with us. She was a native of England, and related many interesting and
strange things which she had witnessed in her own family.
I did not wish to encourage the manifestations, and we seldom asked
questions. At this time, our troubles (in Rochester) were not known to
any one except Mrs. Vick and our own family. But things were coming to
a fearful crisis. We closed our windows and did not raise our shades
during the day. This seemed to annoy the Spirits more than anything else
we had done, and caused them to make a change in their manifestations.
Calvin had gone away with his (military) company, and we were left alone
several days, at the mercy of the Spirits. We had the consolation of
knowing that we had never harmed _any one_, and we could see no reason
why the Spirits should wish to _harm us_.
We called on our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Post, and told them our story,
which afforded them no little amusement at our expense. They were
friends of our family, and listened attentively to our statement,
believing we were suffering under some psychological delusion. But when
they came to examine for themselves, and witnessed the manifestations
_in their own house_, they began to think we were not so entirely
deluded as they had supposed. As soon as they became interested, they
begged permission to invite some friends of theirs. We consented to let
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bush, and Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Granger come as they
were friends of our family, provided they would keep the matter a
profound secret. But we soon found it was not long to be so kept.
At times, when we were overcome with anxiety, we would all kneel down
with mother, and pray for protection. We had become satisfied that no
earthly power could relieve us. While on our knees, pins would be stuck
into different parts of our persons. Mother's cap would be removed from
her head, her comb jerked out of her hair, and every conceivable thing
done to annoy us. We resolved to rest, as best we could, during the day;
but would, on our knees, pray to have these evil doings suppressed.
Often did my dear anxious mother exclaim--"What have we done? What have
_have we_ done, that we should be so tormented? Dear children, pray to
God to have mercy upon us."
My little sister Katie would sometimes say, "_I can't pray, I feel more
like swearing_."
One evening they had been more quiet than usual. We remained some time
at the table, and began to hope that things were going to be better with
us, when we were suddenly startled and shocked by sounds from the piano,
which was open in the parlor. The lower bass key tolled the death-knell,
solemnly and distinctly, while we sat at the table, unable for a time to
stir. At length I went into the parlor, closed the piano, locked it, and
took the key with me; but the sounds kept on. No other demonstrations
were made during the night, but the tolling of that knell inside the
locked piano. While this solemn sound was made, they would make no other
disturbances.
Calvin had not yet returned. The door-bell rang, and Mr. and Mrs. Post
came in. On hearing these sounds Mr. Post went for Mr. and Mrs. Bush.
When Mr. Bush came and listened to the solemn sounds a few minutes, he
fell upon his knees and prayed to God to sustain this family if, in his
great wisdom, he had chosen them as instruments through whom mankind
should be benefited. Still the dreadful sounds continued until about one
o'clock. Our friends left, and we retired to our sleeping-rooms to try
and rest, if possible. We seldom all slept at once, as we were sure to
be disturbed by some frightful exhibition, if we allowed our light to go
out. We were getting ready for bed, when we heard a wagon drive up to
the side gate and a familiar voice say "Whoa" to his horses. Mother
hastened to the door, and called out, "Oh! Stephen, who is dead? We have
had a terrible warning of death, all night." Stephen, my sister Maria's
husband, replied, "No one is dead, that I know of. But David's little
Ella was supposed to be dying when I left, I have come to take you back
with me." He fed his horses, rested a short time on the sofa, and about
four o'clock started for Arcadia, with mother and Maggie. The sounds on
the piano ceased. When we received a message from Arcadia, it was to
this effect: that dear little Ella was alive when they reached home, but
died the next day.
We had been warned, in the spring, when I was there in company with Mrs.
Grover and Mrs. Granger, that a death would take place in our family.
The words were written on a block of wood corresponding exactly with
those the children had brought from the new house which was being built
by my father, within speaking distance of brother David's home. The
communication, written in plain letters and thrown through the open
window in broad daylight, read as follows: "One of your family will die.
She will be happy with the angels; mourn not for her." I believed it
would be mother, as she was so broken down and unhappy. We feared that
she would not endure it much longer.
The writing on the block had always troubled me. I was in the room when
it was thrown in, and knew that no human power could have thrown it in
at that window and escaped instant detection.
CHAPTER IV.
ROCHESTER (_Continued_).
VENTRILOQUISM--"PROCLAIM THESE TRUTHS TO THE WORLD"--THE CALL
FOR THE ALPHABET--VOICES IN RAPS--GOD'S TELEGRAPH BETWEEN
THE TWO WORLDS--AN EVICTION--COMMITTEE OF FIVE--NO MONEY
ACCEPTED--IMPROPER QUESTIONS TO SPIRITS--"DONE"--STRUGGLE AGAINST
THE "UNCANNY THING"--BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
Mother and Maggie returned in about two weeks to Rochester, expecting to
remain with us until the new house was finished. But "a change came over
the spirit of our dream." Things in spiritual matters grew from bad to
worse. Our kind friend, Mrs. Vick, had died suddenly during mother's
absence, and the family soon gave up the house. It was rented by a
new tenant, a diminutive, sickly-looking man who could not stand the
"racket." His wife complained to him, and declared that she was afraid
to remain at home with the children while he was absent. One day, while
they were eating dinner, they heard knocks on their table. He was
furious in his irritation at this, and coming up to me said: "You are
ventriloquists, and I will put a stop to your doings. I will have you
arrested if I ever hear any noises in my house again." I doubt if
he had finished eating his dinner. He was very pale and trembled with
excitement. My neighbor, Mrs. Bush, a very intelligent and talented
lady, had called on me, and took up the argument in my behalf herself.
She said to him: "Inasmuch as the sounds have been in your house, which
have disturbed Leah all the morning, I think, if any one is arrested,
you should be the one."
The Spirits took "a new cue" from this visit of our neighbor. They
seemed determined to take measures to satisfy him that his attempt to
interfere with, or stop their manifestations, did not accomplish that
object. They were, apparently, determined to settle the question of
ventriloquism beyond any future doubt. They sounded their trumpets upon
the house-top. In other words they carried on the manifestations on the
very peak of the roof. It sounded like the frequent discharge of heavy
artillery. It was stated to us, the next day, that the sounds were heard
a mile away. We feared that the roof would fall in upon us. We all fell
upon our knees and prayed for protection. We were in this position when
Calvin returned. That night the sounds continued until daylight. The
furniture on the second floor moved in every direction. Books were
thrown about the room. The bureau in the bed-room was moved so that it
blocked up the door. The music, from the parlor, flew at us while at
breakfast in the dining-room. We knew not what to do. We had been in the
habit of conversing by putting direct questions, which could be answered
affirmatively or negatively; but we did not think of getting the
alphabet, until our dear friend _Isaac Post_ came in. He said to me,
"Leah, why, don't thee remember that thy brother David conversed with
the Hydesville Spirits by using the alphabet? Perhaps they will explain
what is wanted, if thee will call the alphabet now." This seemed to be
exactly what they _did_ want; and I asked the question, "Do you want to
say something to us?" There was a tremendous rapping in answer. I then
commenced calling the alphabet, letter by letter in its order; and the
first message we ever obtained in Rochester, through the Spirits, was
this: "Dear friends, you must proclaim these truths to the world. This
is the dawning of a new era; and you must not try to conceal it any
longer. When you do your duty, God will protect you; and good Spirits
will watch over you."
I asked if the Spirits would give me a _signal_ by which I might know
when they wanted us to use the alphabet. They then spelled, "We will rap
five times, in quick succession; and you will know whenever it is called
for." When this was concluded there was a tremendous rapping all over
the room; and then each one gave his own distinctive signal. They have
been continued from that day to this.
By this I mean that they gave their several rappings with such
differences in sound as to be quite distinct from each other, and almost
as clearly recognizable as would be their intonations of voice as
speakers, or signatures as writers. On the occasion here mentioned I
think there must have been a score of spirits who rapped one after the
other, some on the table, some on the door, ceiling, windows, floor,
etc. Some were loud, some low, some rapid and some slower, and no two of
them seemed quite the same. Many persons who are familiar with these
signals frequently identify them by the sounds.
I soon received letters from various places saying that it had been made
known through clairvoyants, speaking mediums and seers, that the same
signal had been given to all mediums.
Thus we see that God's Telegraph[5] ante-dated that of Samuel F. B.
Morse.
[5] It opened up communication between the two worlds of matter
and spirit, as that of Morse had done between distant places in
the material plane of our life.--ED.
This work progressed too slowly to suit the Spirits. We could not
consent to let it be publicly known that we were having such marvellous
disturbances. So they sought out a new way to coerce us.
One night there was a great uproar in the other house. Loud rappings
were heard, the little man's pillow was jerked from under his head, his
wife nearly fainted, his children screamed, and he was badly frightened.
He could stand it no longer. He arose in the middle of the night, and
called up a party of his church brethren, who went to his house and
witnessed the demonstrations. They then went to the office of my
landlord and got his concurrence, and obtained a warrant for our removal
from our house. It will be recollected that this was Mr. J. B. Bennett,
to whom, when I engaged the house of him, I said I wanted a new house
where no crime had been committed, as I believed the house I lived in
was haunted; and that he replied, "I think you will have no difficulty
on that account." Yet he at once consented to our expulsion because my
little neighbor had heard the sounds in his own house. The warrant was
served in the morning. I immediately communicated with my friends, who
rallied in large numbers, and before the week was out, we were all
settled in a pleasant little cottage on Troup Street. It was about
September 1, 1849, when we moved into the house. I cannot let this
opportunity pass without paying a tribute to those dear friends.
They too were ridiculed and persecuted at home and abroad; but they
stood firm, and defended the right, as they were fully convinced that
it only required time to prove it to the world. Many of those precious
souls have passed to the world beyond, and I know they rejoice in Heaven
to-day over the happy discoveries they made, and which they tell us have
greatly widened their capacity for usefulness and enjoyment in a higher
sphere.
There was a marked difference in the manifestations during our meals.
The rappings seemed more concentrated, and very near us. The Spirits
appeared interested in much that we were saying, and often pressed us
approvingly with their hands. On one occasion a Spirit child laid its
little hands on mine (not in mine), and so long as I remained quiet and
permitted the little angel to do as it wished to, without disturbing the
conditions requisite to enable it to come so near me, there was no
shrinking or withdrawal on the part of the Spirit, who had thus far
re-entered this mundane sphere to prove to us, beyond a doubt, that she
still lived, and loved us. We could not doubt it. There was no one to
deceive us. The Spirit was my darling little sister. She pressed us with
both her hands, and kissed them over and over again. We would close our
eyes in daylight and they would kiss us naturally as in life. We were
truly converted, and as the dear old Methodists used to say, "born
again."
We could then realize that we had something to live for, something to
hope for, in that sacred hour when each one in our humble group "lay at
the feet of Jesus," willing to be guided and directed in the paths of
truth and duty. The alphabet was called for, and the following message
was given and signed by our ever revered grandfather, known to his
family and friends as a man of encyclopædic knowledge, as well as of
noble character. "You need not wait as I did for that great 'change of
heart;' but adopt the course at once and live up to your highest light.
Go where that leads you."
"MY DEAR CHILDREN:--The time will come when you will understand and
appreciate this great dispensation. You must permit your good friends to
meet with you and hold communion with their friends in heaven.
"I am your grandfather,
"JACOB SMITH."
This communication affected us all deeply (particularly my mother), and
brought our souls together sympathetically. We read it to our visitors.
They at once adopted the plan of sitting around the table with us. This
method immediately, as a consequence, placed the subject before the
community. It was discussed everywhere, both publicly and privately. Mr.
Isaac Post's store was beset, from morning until night, with inquirers
who were anxious to visit us. As we were situated, our friends felt a
delicacy in bringing strangers to our house, except by previous
arrangement.
In a short time the interest increased to such a degree that it was
thought advisable to form a committee of five in a convenient part of
the city, through whom the rushing crowd of curiosity seekers could be
accommodated. The names of this committee were Isaac Post, R. D. Jones,
Edward Jones, John Kedzie, and Andrew Clackner. They were faithful
friends, who never permitted any one to visit us unattended by
themselves, or some reliable person. All through this, and, indeed,
for the first two years, we scorned the idea of receiving money from
visitors. We felt that it would be degrading to accept money for
the exhibition of spiritualism. Our time and business were greatly
interfered with, and the overwhelming question frequently arose, "What
shall we do? We cannot endure this much longer." But there was a course
marked out for us (unconsciously to ourselves) to follow. For a time we
fancied things were going on better, and we felt encouraged, but we
little knew the bitter experience we were destined to pass through. Many
of our visitors were anxious to learn, through the Spirits, how to make
a fortune. Some wished to know the secrets of others; some, dissatisfied
with their domestic relations, sought the aid of Spirits to help them
out of their difficulty; some wanted to know what numbers they should
buy in a lottery, to be successful; others would wish to be advised in
their stock speculations.
To all such questions ready responses were given, but invariably ended
in failures.
This order of investigation brought us in rapport with an entirely
different class of Spirits. They had no particular motive in tormenting
us, but they seemed delighted to lead us on, and deceive the visitors
who sought them in such a spirit. But, when people sought for
communications of a more elevated character, answers were given
accordingly.
Frequently our friends would become so deeply interested in their
manifestations that they would forget we were mortal and needed time to
recuperate our physical strength. They did not know that every echo, as
it came through our medium forces, consumed a portion of our vitality.
The Spirit knew this, and would close the séances by spelling "done."
This, our friends would sometimes take exception to, and complain that
they should break off so abruptly. We could not explain, to their
satisfaction, that we were exhausted under the constant pressure of mind
and body. The Spirits, knowing this, would give the signal "done." After
this word done was spelled, we never obtained anything of an elevated
character. We could get physical manifestations, of an independent
character, such as throwing things, and moving furniture in different
parts of the house. _Those_ manifestations seldom seemed to weaken us,
but intellectual communications given through our immediate brain forces
had a weakening effect upon us when continued too long.
A gentleman (Dr. C. D. Griswold) living in Batavia had induced his
minister (an Episcopal clergyman) to visit us.
They arrived late; and, after a few questions had been answered, the
word "done" was spelled. They did not understand the meaning of this,
and continued their questions. Suddenly a loud rapping, in a distant
part of the room, spelled out, "Why the devil do you ask questions after
you have been told done?"
This was a terrible damper to us all. The minister stood aghast, looking
first at one and then at the other with astonishment, as if wondering
what kind of creatures we were. The friend who had brought him was
mortified in the extreme. They remained in town, and called on us again
the next morning. All things were quiet, and we sat down with these two
gentlemen alone. The doctor asked this question, "Will the spirit of my
dear father come and answer my questions?"
Immediately the alphabet was called for, and spelled out this sentence,
"When good Spirits say 'done,' you should not seek for further
communications. Order is heaven's first law, and you should not overtax
mediums; for no good Spirit will answer, after their guardians say
'done.'"
The doctor received the explanation favorably, and felt greatly relieved
when he saw his friend, the minister, was disposed to investigate
further. With us all was turmoil and confusion. When manifestations and
communications were consistent, we believed them to come from good
Spirits; but when they were to the contrary, we condemned all as evil.
We had no religious prejudices, no motive whatever in establishing
theories. We could make no satisfactory explanations to the various
interrogatories, made by promiscuous parties who were constantly in
attendance.
Let me here emphasize the fact that the general feeling of our family,
of all of us, including Calvin Brown, who was virtually one of us, was
strongly adverse to all this strange and uncanny thing. We regarded it
as a great misfortune, as it was an affliction, which had fallen upon
us; how, whence or why, we knew not. The influence of the surrounding
opinion of neighbors, and the country round about, reacted upon us in
conformation of our own natural and educational impressions, that the
whole thing was of evil origin, unnatural, perplexing, and tormenting;
while its unpopularity tended to cast a painful shadow upon us. We
resisted it, struggled against it, and constantly and earnestly prayed
for deliverance from it, even while a strange fascination attached to
these marvellous manifestations thus forced upon us, against our will,
by invisible agencies and agents whom we could neither resist, control,
nor understand. If our will, earnest desires and prayers could have
prevailed or availed, the whole thing would have ended then and there,
and the world outside of our little neighborhood would never have heard
more of the Rochester Rappings, or of the unfortunate Fox family.
But the movement was not in our hands nor under our control. It had an
object, and we, as reluctant and humble instruments, were in the hands
of other and higher wills and forces, from whom it had proceeded, by
whom it was directed, and, so to speak, engineered. We have since come
to understand that all these events and incidents, perplexing and
distressful as they were to us, were but the birth-throes of a new
truth, which was destined to revolutionize this world, and establish a
communication between the here and the hereafter; of the Earth and of
the Spirit.
And I may here say that, inasmuch as Electricity and Magnetism seem to
play some part in the machinery of this intercommunication, it is not
surprising that the Spirit on the other side who seems to have been the
principal initiator, not to say the inventor of this new development in
the evolution of Humanity, was the great man known to earthly fame as
the father of electrical science, as he was one of the great fathers of
American liberty; he of whom it has been grandly written that he
snatched the lightning from the sky, and the sceptre from the hand of
the tyrant: the immortal BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
CHAPTER V.
ROCHESTER (_Continued_), NOVEMBER, 1848.
LIGHT ARTICLES MADE IMMOVABLE--THE COFFINS--ADIEU OF THE
SPIRITS--THEIR RETURN--FIRST STEPS TOWARD PUBLIC INVESTIGATION--"HIRE
CORINTHIAN HALL"--FIRST COMMITTEE OF INVESTIGATION--SECOND--THIRD OR
"INFIDEL" COMMITTEE--BEHAVIOR OF A GREAT DINING-TABLE--THE TAR AND
TORPEDO MOB.
All this could not have gone on very long in a western city (as it then
was) like Rochester, with its 70,000 inhabitants, without leading to a
state of feeling and opinion which made it impossible to keep the matter
confined to the limited number of persons who, from time to time,
got access to séances (at our house) held under the auspices of the
committee of five persons previously named.
Mr. E. W. Capron, of Auburn, had been introduced to us by friends of
long standing. He was at that time a sceptic in almost everything
relating to immortality, but he was an honest man, and soon became
thoroughly convinced of the truth of Spiritualism. We still hoped to
suppress the manifestations, and mother consented to let Cathie go
home with Mr. and Mrs. Capron, imagining by that means to put a stop
to further disturbances. For a few days there seemed to be a change
for the better, and again mother thought she had accomplished her
object; but all this while the Spirits had been actively employed, as
they soon convinced us by more powerful demonstrations than ever. They
had redoubled their forces and paraded themselves through every part
of the house, standing guard at all the apertures, thus to prevent
any two of us from coming near each other to confer on any matter,
however important we deemed it to be.
During the winter of 1849, scarcely a day passed that we did not have
some new and wonderful exhibition of the power and intelligence of our
strange visitors. At times things would fly through space, above our
heads, when there was no human form to be seen. The chairs, tables, and
even small articles, would suddenly become so heavy that no strength
that we could exert could move them. It became a common saying in our
house that "the Spirits are holding them down," when we would have
occasion to lift any light article from one place to another. It was
constantly repeated to us that we had "a mission to perform," and we
were directed to "make ready for the work." My mother declared that we
would never yield to any such directions again; but the Spirits said,
"You have been chosen to go before the world to convince the sceptical
of the great truth of immortality." It was in vain that we opposed to
this a strenuous resistance, and argued that we had already done enough,
and more than should be required of us. But the constant burden of their
declaration was that we must "go forth and do our duty."
At last they resorted to more violent measures of coercion. One morning,
on awaking, we found four _coffins_ drawn on the kitchen floor, of
life-size, and corresponding to the different sizes of mother, myself,
Margaretta, and Katie: and after we had washed them away, we found next
morning the same fearful objects on the ceiling. Twice again was this
repeated in the dining-room, so that they came four times in all. They
were handsomely and artistically drawn in black and white, the lids
being thrown back to show how beautifully they had done the work of
pinking the white linings. Each coffin had the drawing of its plate, and
on them were perfectly and correctly written our respective names and
ages, while beneath them was also written in large plain letters: "If
you do not go forth and do your duty you will soon be laid in your
coffins." We called in our friends to behold the gruesome sight. Some
were superstitious and declared that they would not dare to disobey such
biddings; but we feared that if we yielded to them, we would become
subject to some unknown evil influences, so that mother still held out
against what did not meet her approval.
It is impossible for me to make my reader understand and realize the
scenes we passed through. Crowds of inquirers came to the house at all
hours of the day and evening.
The committee had more than they could attend to; we had no time to
attend to any household duties. My music pupils had all left, and the
question arose: "What shall we do? How can we live so?" The new house
was finished, and father wanted us all to come home; but the Spirits
said, "No, you cannot go; you must remain here and do your duty." After
a few brief messages to friends, the Spirits, in a most impressive and
solemn manner, bade us all good-by, and closed their manifestations.
They made the occasion quite solemn, and the company felt wholly
deserted when they became satisfied that the Spirits had taken their
final departure. We tried, on several occasions, to get the sounds; but
could not. The Spirits remained firm in their decision for twelve days.
Mother now deemed it advisable to return to her home (in Arcadia, Wayne
County), as she was much needed there, and she hoped we would no longer
be disturbed by Spirits. Margaretta, Calvin, myself, and Alfie, our good
servant, were alone, and the absence of all manifestations or Spiritual
communications caused many a pang of remorse. Often we wished it were
possible for us to enjoy the society of our dear Spirit friends, without
being forced into that public notoriety and that constant collision with
a hostile world which seemed to be involved in what the Spirits called
the "duty" which they were urging upon us.
While we were thus in silent waiting, and had given up all hope of
again hearing from our Spirit friends, Mr. Capron, of Auburn, and Mr.
George Willets, of Rochester, called on us. As we saw them coming, we
met them at the door and informed them that the Spirits would not rap
for us any more. They came into the hall, saying, "Perhaps they will
rap for us, if not for you." And so they did. They came with the
well-known joyous sounds, all over the hall, as if they were glad to
meet us all again. We could not repress our great satisfaction at the
renewal of our enjoyment, for we now felt that there had really been
enjoyment in it, however mingled with perplexity and distress. It was,
to us, like the return of long absent friends, whose value, while with
us, we had not sufficiently appreciated.
It was during this interview that the Spirits again broached the subject
of a public investigation. Directions were given to have the whole
matter made public.
They then detailed their plan to us in a lengthy communication. They
told us what was required of us, and what they declared to be our duty,
as follows:
"You all have a duty to perform. We want you to make the matter more
public." To this, Mr. Capron replied that nothing but the greatest
ridicule would be heaped upon all who should engage in such an
undertaking. The following message immediately came in reply, "That will
be so much the better. Your triumph will be so much the greater!" They
told Capron and Willets, that they (the Spirits) wanted them to get up
meetings for the purpose of letting the public know this great truth.
Our friends (C. and W.) said in reply to this that they had families to
support; and they could not see how they could go before the public
with a matter which must make them so decidedly unpopular in the then
existing state of public opinion. The Spirits then directed that we
should hold meetings at different private houses; and they (the Spirits)
would manifest for promiscuous companies. Meetings were accordingly held
at the residences of Messrs. Willets, Post, Granger, and others. The
Spirits fulfilled their promises admirably. We decided to leave the
entire movement to their direction. We felt powerless to act on our own
judgment. We met at the house of Mr. Isaac Post to talk over the matter,
and learn all we could in regard to this great step forced upon us in a
way so contrary to our own wishes. We had not been long in the parlor
before the alphabet was called and spelled, "Amy, thee must invite
sixteen persons to come here on Saturday evening, to hear the Spirit
rappings." Amy (Mrs. Post) replied, "Why, I don't know whom to invite to
such an entertainment. How can I do so?" The rapping answered, "I will
tell thee: 'Mr. or Mrs. ----: You are invited BY THE SPIRITS to call at
the house of Mr. Isaac Post next Thursday evening, at eight o'clock, to
hear the Spirits rap.'" Amy said she did not know whom to invite, and
asked the Spirits if they would give her the names. This they consented
to do, and proceeded to spell out the names of persons, many of whom
neither Mrs. Post nor any one present knew. They were all lawyers,
editors, and doctors. It is to be regretted that the book containing
these names is lost. Dr. Moore was the only one named who did not come
in answer to the invitation. Frederick Douglass, editor of _The North
Star_, was present. They met, as I have stated, at the house of Isaac
Post. They listened, with respectful attention, to the sounds of the
rappings. A part of the company went into the cellar, and a part
remained in the room above; but the rapping always seemed to be on the
side opposite to the listeners. After they had satisfied themselves of
the reality of the sounds, and that they were not made by us, they
proposed to get some answers to questions, but the comment or answer of
the Spirits was, "No. We invited you here to listen to the sounds, and
not to get communications. Good night." They did, however, make another
appointment for the next Thursday evening, at the house of Mr. George
Willets, and again all except Dr. Moore came, with some individuals
added to the number, and the sounds were heard as in the first instance.
Again the visitors proposed to get answers to questions; but again the
reply was that they were only invited to hear the sounds.
This whole proceeding, as they informed us, was to convince us that they
could rap sufficiently loud to be heard in a public hall.
The Spirits then gave us their directions as follows: "Hire Corinthian
Hall" (then the largest hall in Rochester). Margaretta and myself were
to go to the hall; Mr. Capron was to deliver the lecture, in which he
was to relate the commencement at Hydesville, and the progress of it up
to the present time. Mr. Willets was to act as friend and business man,
doorkeeper, etc. A committee of five gentlemen was to be appointed at
each meeting, by the audience, and instructed to report at the
commencement of the next meeting.
The Spirits who had given the directions had promised to make the sounds
so loud that all in the hall could hear them. Before the meeting the
following names were spelled out, of persons thus designated to sit
on the platform with us: Rev. A. Jervis (Methodist minister), Lyman
Granger (a well-known member of the M. E. Church), Simeon Draper (a
prominent Methodist), Mrs. Sarah D. Fish (a member of the Society of
Friends), and Mrs. Pierpont. When these names were first spelled out by
the Spirits some of the persons objected to thus going forward in so
unpopular a work, when the Rev. Mr. Jervis spoke up and said, "I know it
is true, and I'll face a frowning world." His emphatic earnestness awoke
the others who had been named, and they all consented to serve. It
should be remembered that the most minute directions were given by the
Spirits, through the use of the alphabet, without suggestions from any
one concerned in the work to be done. The Spirits told us, moreover,
that this was the best way to interest the public, and prepare them for
a more general acceptance of Spiritual Communication by the world at
large.
Notices were accordingly published in the newspapers of the meeting to
be held in Corinthian Hall, on the evening of November 14, 1848.
According to the directions of the Spirits, Margaretta and myself
appeared at Corinthian Hall, where a large audience had already
assembled to witness the manifestations which had excited so much
general curiosity.
Mr. Capron, in delivering the lecture, depended more upon his knowledge
of the facts, as they had then occurred, than on any theory of his own,
or of others, in regard to the rappings.
We wished to have the subject carefully scrutinized by honest
committees, and have them report to the public the result of their
investigations. Mr. Capron stated emphatically that if he could not
explain what it was, he certainly knew what it was not.
It was also announced to the audience that no ordinary minds would be
accepted on the committees. We had, at that early day, discovered
that the greater the intelligence, the more satisfactory were the
manifestations. At this lecture the audience listened with very
respectful attention. The editor of a Second Advent paper also delivered
his little speech, telling the audience that the sounds were spiritual,
he had no doubt; but it was the spirit of the devil, and that the
persons in whose presence the sounds were heard should be cast into
prison. He said his "little say," and we never heard of him afterward.
When this episode had closed, the following gentlemen were named as a
Committee of Investigation, and requested to report the next evening,
viz., A. J. Coombs, Daniel Marsh, Nathaniel Clark, A. Judson, and Edwin
Jones.
Thus the first great step was taken, in order to lay the facts of Modern
Spiritualism before the world. It was now to be tried in a way by which
no guilty person could hope to escape detection. Any one guilty of fraud
as great as this would have been, had it consisted of simulation on our
part, must certainly have met with swift exposure, and been stripped of
all power or opportunity for further mischief. In fact, could it be
rationally apprehended that we, or any one, would have dared to face an
adverse public, of a thronged city, and the entire sentiment of a world
against us, as we had been directed to do, with nothing but a damning
falsehood at our backs to lean upon?
The appointment of an intelligent committee was readily agreed upon by
the audience; and they--most of them perhaps--felt confident that the
supposed fraud would now be probed to the bottom. So sure seemed the
editors of the _Rochester Democrat_ that this was "the last of the
rappings," that they wrote a long article on the "humbug" which had
deceived so many, rejoicing that the end was near.
But when, on the following evening, the Committee made their report, the
newspaper men were obliged to substitute something else in place of the
anticipated detection and exposure, as the result of their examination
did not verify the theory of these newspaper quasi-leaders and
instructors of public thought. The following was the report of the
Committee:
"Without the knowledge of the persons in whose presence the
manifestations are made, the Committee selected the hall of the 'Sons
of Temperance,' for investigation of the subject under consideration.
That the sounds, on the floor near where the Mediums stood, were heard
as distinctly as at the other places; and that part of the Committee
heard the rapping on the wall behind them; that a number of questions
were asked, which were answered not altogether right nor altogether
wrong; that, in the afternoon, they went to the house of a private
citizen, and while there, the sounds were heard _on the outside_
(apparently) of the front door, after they had entered, and on the
door of a closet. By placing the hand upon the door, there was a
sensible jar felt when the rapping was heard.
"One of the Committee placed one of his hands upon the feet of the
ladies, and the other on the floor, and though the feet were not moved,
there was a distinct jar of the floor. On the pavement and on the ground
the same sounds were heard; a kind of double rap, as of a stroke and a
rebound, was distinguishable. When the sisters were separated at a
distance from each other, no sound was heard; but when a third person
was interposed between them, the sounds were heard. The sisters seemed
to give every opportunity to the Committee to investigate the case
fully, and would submit to a thorough investigation by a committee of
ladies, if desired. They all agree that the sounds were heard, but they
entirely fail to discern any means by which it could be done."
On the following evening, each member of the Committee spoke for
himself, and they all perfectly agreed as to the facts stated. Their
report was received with surprise by such of the audience as had come
with the expectation of having the subject exposed as a fraud, and the
rappings stopped.
After some further remarks by Mr. Capron, and a discussion of a brief
character upon the subject, another Committee was appointed consisting
of the following gentlemen: Dr. H. H. Langworthy, Hon. Frederick
Whittlesey, General D. C. McCallum, William Fisher, of Rochester, and
Hon. A. P. Hascall, of Le Roy, subsequently member of Congress.
At the meeting, on the evening after this lecture, this Committee
reported that "They went into the investigation at the office of
Chancellor Whittlesey, and they heard the sounds on the floor, on
the wall, and on the door; that the ladies were placed in different
positions, and, like the other Committee, they were unable to tell from
what the sounds proceeded, or how they were made; that Dr. Langworthy
made observations with a stethoscope to ascertain whether there was
any movement of the lungs, and found not the least difference when
the sounds were being made, and there was no kind of probability or
possibility of their being made by ventriloquism, as some had supposed;
and they could not have been made by machinery."
As this report was read, there was a murmur of discontent, of baffled
opposition, and, in some cases, unmistakable willingness to proceed
to violence against all who had offered every opportunity for fair
investigation. Many persons, among the large number congregated there,
were disappointed and indignant at the discovery that it was _not a
cheat_. A very large number of people were present on this occasion, and
a portion of them seemed determined that the _cause of the deception_,
or the manner of its performance, should be ascertained and exposed.
They predetermined that there could be no honesty unless it came in
their old beaten track of belief.
It was during the investigation on this second day, that Chancellor
Whittlesey informed me that he was a friend to us. He said to me: "Now,
don't be alarmed. I am a friend to you and know that these things are
true. I have read 'Davis's Revelations,' and I believe fully that
Spirits can communicate. You shall have a fair investigation." This was
after very insulting and even violent behavior by Dr. H. H. Langworthy;
and it did me a great deal of good to be so assured by one of the
Committee, and one of the best of them; and also a man who had long been
Vice Chancellor of the State of New York; and whom the whole country
knew as one of the wise men of the time, a neighbor of ours and known to
us.
On the third evening the audience was much larger, and a portion of them
seemed determined that at all hazards, and cost what it might, it should
be exposed. Mr. Warren L. Burtis declared that "those girls would not
have him on the Committee for a hundred dollars;" intimating that _he_
was known to possess unusual facilities for the detection of fraud. The
audience was not looking for the proof of facts. They constituted a
large and self-chosen committee who seemed to consider it their duty to
prove by anathemas the falsity of Spiritualism. He, W. L. Burtis, was at
once placed on the Committee; and after being so appointed, he remarked
with much importance, if he "could not find it out he would forfeit a
new hat." Mr. Kenyon said, "If I cannot fathom the fraud, I will throw
myself over Genesee Falls." He too was immediately placed on the
Committee. All the others chosen as members were equally opposed to us.
The Committee consisted of Dr. E. P. Langworthy, Dr. J. Gates, William
Fitzhugh, W. L. Burtis, and L. Kenyon. Mr. Packard, a well-known
cabinet-maker, suggested that if he were chosen he would have a party of
ladies to examine the clothing of the girls, as he believed the sounds
were all made by leaden balls, sewed in the bottom of their dresses. But
Mr. Packard was not chosen, because, as before stated, the occasion
required the application of the higher order of intelligence. To this,
however, no attention was given by him or others excepting a significant
smile of disappointment. The public had by this time learned that such
leaden-ball suggestions were not less than absurd.
This Committee met at the rooms of Dr. Gates, in the Rochester House.
This was called the "Infidel Committee." The public had heretofore
chosen persons of a more religious character; and men representing the
scientific portion of the inhabitants had now concluded that, by placing
the subject in the hands of scientific infidels, they would "fathom the
fraud."
This party now chosen were disgusted by the reflection that they were
to enter upon such an undertaking; but they had been chosen, and would
serve and do their duty to the public. This Committee appointed three
ladies, who took us into a private room, disrobed and clothed us with
garments of their own selection, after which we seated ourselves around
a table; but no manifestations of any importance were made. Disappointed
in not finding any machinery, they had a lurking suspicion that we had
doffed it for the occasion.
They called on the "Ghosts" to manifest themselves if they could, but
no responses came to such invitations. They now concluded it was about
dinner-time, and said to us, "You can go home and get your dinner.
Perhaps the ghosts will be more sociable in the afternoon;" plainly
intimating that we could go home and prepare ourselves for rapping, and
that things would be more satisfactory after our return. It was now my
turn to be the speaker; I told them: "No, we shall not stir from this
room until the time for this investigation shall expire; which will be
at six o'clock P.M." Some of the Committee exclaimed, "Good for the
Rappers! That looks like business. Ladies and gentlemen, let us have
dinner in this room. We will give the girls fair play." A sumptuous
dinner was prepared and brought in to us, and all took seats at the
table. They taunted us in every way. Sometimes we felt ourselves
forsaken, and disposed to give up in despair. Our friends were locked
out, and not permitted to come into the room; but we could hear their
faithful footsteps outside the door, in the hall of the hotel--Isaac and
Amy Post, Mr. and Mrs. Pierpont, George Willets, and others. My young
sister Maggie was by my side, bathed in tears. Dr. Gates was carving. I
was struggling with a choking emotion, and could not taste food. The
party were joking and funning at our expense, when, suddenly the great
table began to tremble, and raised first one end and then the other,
with loud creaking sounds, like a ship struggling in a heavy gale, until
it was finally suspended above our heads.
For a moment all were silent and looked at each other with astonishment.
The waiters fled in every direction. Instantly the scene was changed.
The ladies threw their arms around us, one after another; and it was
their turn to cry.
They said to us: "Oh, you poor girls, how you have been abused! Oh, how
sorry we are for you; after all, _it is true_!" The gentlemen with one
accord said, "Girls, you have gained a victory. We will stand by you to
the last."
Let it be understood that this Committee of ladies and gentlemen took us
to the parlors of the Rochester House, which could be divided into two
rooms by closing the folding-doors. After dinner the gentlemen of the
Committee insulated the table by putting glass under the legs, procured
two sacks of feathers, and advised the ladies how to conduct the
investigation. They then closed the doors, and (the gentlemen of the
Committee having retired) left us and the lady members of the Committee
alone. By this time the Committee had become kindly disposed toward us.
They suggested to us that we should stand upon the sacks of feathers on
the table, with our dresses tied tight above our ankles. We complied
with all their suggestions, cheerfully. Immediately the sounds were
heard on the table, floor, and walls. The ladies instantly opened the
doors, and the gentlemen came in and witnessed the manifestations
themselves.
The ladies, at my suggestion, signed the following certificate:
"When they were standing on pillows, with a handkerchief tied around the
bottom of their dresses, tight to their ankles, we all heard the rapping
on the table, on the wall, and floor distinctly.
"MRS. STONE.
"MRS. J. GATES.
"MISS M. P. LAWRENCE."
Before we left the room, word was sent to the Committee, saying, "Do not
go to the Hall this evening; for if you report favorably to the girls
you will be mobbed." Our friends, who anticipated a riot and feared for
our safety, as soon as we got to the house after this terrible day's
work and anxiety, urged us not to go to the Hall. But what were we to
do? Even the Committee were threatened if it made a favorable report;
but they all informed us that they would protect us in any event.
E. W. Capron and George Willets said, "What are we to do, if you forsake
us at such a time?" Amy Post said, "Go, I will go with you." The Spirits
spelled, "Go, God will protect you. You will not be harmed." Margaretta
had been so harassed during the day, and had been so urged by some of
her friends, that she resolved not to go to the Hall that night. This
would have spoiled all our success so far. It would be utter ruin to us.
Amy Post (that darling little Quaker lady), who stood firm as a rock,
said, "We will go and sit down by ourselves, and see how we shall feel
about it." I soon said, "Amy, if you will go, I will go with you, if
I go to my death." Margaretta did not change her mind until we were
preparing to go, when she said, "I cannot have you go without me. I must
go, although I expect we will be killed." So we all went. We found the
faithful friends, who were appointed to sit on the platform, already in
their places. There were but few words said by Mr. Capron, as every one
was anxious to hear the report of the Committee. When it was made, it
was more full than any of the others. It rehearsed the fact that they
had excluded from the room, in which the examination was conducted, all
our friends, and we were left alone to fight the battle. Each member of
the Committee reported separately, agreeing with, and corroborating the
first statement.
The reports of the different committees did not satisfy the rowdy
element, which at this time had become a howling mob, who were
predetermined to assault us, and also the last Committee, if they did
not report against us. They even warmed tar, and had it concealed in a
closet at the head of the stairway adjacent to the door of the Hall.
Some of our friends, knowing this, took the precaution of calling on the
police. Our Committee was informed of the proceedings of the mob, and
when we separated at six o'clock and went to Mr. Post's to await the
hour of meeting at the Hall, declared to us that they would stand by us,
in these words: "Never fear, girls, you have gained the victory; we will
stand by you to the last." And they did, nobly.
We were directed by the Spirits to go forth and submit to everything
lawful; but that the committees chosen by the audience should be
composed of such as represented the best intelligence of the community.
Josiah Bissel was the presiding genius of the mob. He had caused to be
purchased some torpedoes which he distributed among his rowdy friends to
throw upon the floor, and thus begin disturbance. It had been agreed
upon by his bosom friends (the rowdy element) that he should ascend the
platform, and with a long heavy stick, which he carried as a cane, give
a signal for the onslaught. The other leaders in this mob were Lawrence
R. and Leonard W. Jerome, Alderman Lewis Seelye, Major Packard, and
others, awaiting the signal. But no sooner was it given them than a
fine, large, respectable-looking gentleman sprang upon the platform and
took a seat between myself and my sister, whose hand he took in his. I
thought, at the moment, he was an enemy, and ordered him to leave, and
not dare touch my sister. He replied, "I am your friend; I am the Chief
of Police--look, these men in front are all my men; and they have come
to protect you."
At the sound of the signal made by Bissel, the mob rushed to the
platform. Torpedoes were heard in every part of the Hall. The Chief of
Police quietly informed Josiah Bissel that if any one was taken into
custody he would be the man.
As the mob began their demonstrations, one gentleman, Mr. Alfred
Hubbell, who had been an investigator at our house, raised his hand and
said in a loud voice: "Girls, you have nothing to fear. Don't be afraid.
I have fifty good men here all ready to protect you."
Mr. Abelard Reynolds, proprietor of the Hall, was on the platform,
determined to stand between us and the mob. The ringleaders of the mob,
followed by their gang, quickly disappeared. Our work, as planned by the
Spirits, for that time was done. Our triumph was complete. The promises
of our Spirit friends and directors were all fulfilled. However they may
have allowed suspicion to come upon us, which it was not in their power
to prevent, they had always brought us safe and sound out of the
apparent difficulty, and gained a signal triumph through our humble
agency.
CHAPTER VI.
MEDIUMISTIC VEIN IN OUR FAMILY.
SOME FAMILY ANTECEDENTS--OUR GREAT-GRANDMOTHER--PHANTOM PROPHETIC
FUNERALS--VISION OF A TOMBSTONE NINE YEARS IN ADVANCE, ETC.
I will here interrupt the course of this narrative with a chapter about
our family, principally in reference to that peculiar and strange
constitutional _something_, which, in us three children (myself and the
two younger ones, Margaretta and Catharine), has come out so strongly
into what is called "mediumship," and which would seem to have been the
cause why the "Spirits," whose instruments we have been, chose us for
their purpose, and imposed upon us the burden of what they called "the
duty," against which we thus so long and hard, but vainly, struggled.
My parents were both native-born Americans. My father's ancestors were
German; the name having been originally Voss, which passed through Foss
into Fox. In my mother's family, French, English, and Dutch mingled. Her
paternal grandfather, John C. Smith, was of English ancestry. He married
Elizabeth Blauvelt, of descent from Holland. Her maternal grandfather
was French, Rutan by name, and her maternal grandmother, whose maiden
name was Margaret Ackerman, was also a descendant from Holland, and
resided on Long Island with her parents until her marriage, after which
she removed to New York City, where her only child, my grandmother, was
born. She (Margaret Rutan), my mother's maternal grandmother, had, from
childhood, evinced the power of foretelling events. She frequently
followed phantom funerals, and entering the grave-yard, would stand and
look on until the last rites had been performed, after which she would
turn away sorrowing. She never felt timid until the ceremony was
ended. Then she would find herself alone, in her normal condition, and
remembering all she had seen, and knowing also what would inevitably
follow, she would be sadly depressed.
On two occasions she was prevailed upon to tell whose funeral she had
attended the previous night, which caused her such intense distress of
mind, she besought them to never again urge her to reveal that which was
made known to her during her somnambulic walks. The moment the person
ceased to breathe, she would say, "Mr. or Mrs. (whoever it might be) is
dead."
If the death had taken place in a distant part of the country it would
make no difference, so long as the burial place was there. She felt
relieved as soon as the event transpired. She always visited the
grave-yard between the hours of twelve and two o'clock at night. My
grandfather frequently walked slowly after her to accompany her home on
her return.
Another remarkable feature used to attend these nocturnal excursions of
my great-grandmother, in the somnambulic condition, when she would thus
witness the celebration of funerals of persons who were at the time
still alive and well. She would see and recognize all the persons in
attendance on the funeral, from the officiating minister down, and
afterward remember and relate their names, which used always to
correspond with the fact as it afterward came about. She would even tell
by whose horses the body was brought to the grave (in the country at
that time there were no regular hearses, and this service was performed
by some friend or neighbor). When the crowded phantom funeral was over
she would awake to find herself alone in the graveyard; sometimes with
my grandfather (her son-in-law) awaiting at a little distance to
accompany her return home. But frequently she had no such watching
attendant, and I remember to have heard it said how distressing it would
be for her to awake entirely alone and make her solitary way homeward,
from what she knew to be the foreshadowed interment of some one near and
dear.
MY AUNT ELIZABETH'S VISION OF HER OWN TOMBSTONE.
My mother's sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Higgins, had much the same faculty.
She never left her bed at night to visit scenes about to transpire, but
nearly everything of importance was foreshadowed in her dreams. She
would frequently relate them on the morning following. One morning, she
gave us a relation of her dream. She said, laughingly, to her brother:
"I dreamed I had a fall, last night. You and I were riding on horseback,
when suddenly my horse stumbled and fell in front of Judge Perry's door.
I rolled down the little embankment, and Tom Foot came and helped me
up." Grandmother said, "That can't come true, for Tom is, by this time,
far away." They thought no more of it.
Some time after, her brother said to her, "Bessie, would you like to
take a ride with me this morning?" She replied that she would, and they
soon started off, each on a spirited horse, never thinking of her dream,
until the horse stumbled and she fell and rolled down the bank, exactly
in front of Judge Perry's door. _Tom_ came out and helped her up. He had
not gone away, as he had contemplated doing.
Mr. Robert Dale Owen, in his "Foot-falls on the Boundary of Another
World," has given a more detailed account of her remarkable dreams. I
will only add the last sad fulfilment of a dream which she had some
years previously to its fulfilment. She was then in her nineteenth year.
She said, "I dreamed I was in a new country, walking alone, when
suddenly I came to a small cemetery, and, walking up to one of the most
prominent head-stones, read the inscription, which was this:
IN MEMORY
OF
ELIZABETH SMITH,
Wife of H----,
Who departed this life
In the year of our Lord 18--,
Aged 27 years, 8 months and 26 days."[6]
[6] I am not entirely certain that I remember the number of
days with distinctness: it is very nearly correct.
She was deeply impressed by this dream, and could not rest. She left her
bed, and went into her mother's sleeping-room, sobbing, and related the
dream. Her father and mother both endeavored to disabuse her mind of any
belief in this unhappy dream. He tenderly folded her in his arms and
quoted from Scripture many beautiful sayings, such as: "Of that day
and hour knoweth no man: no, not even the angels in Heaven." She was
comforted and seldom referred to her dream. The gentleman to whom she
was affianced died. Her father purchased a home, and moved to Sodus,
Wayne County, N. Y., where she became acquainted with Mr. C. Higgins.
They were married, and enjoyed five years of uninterrupted happiness.
The time was drawing near when she expected to become a mother. Uncle
Charles was a devoted husband, and regretted that duty called him from
home at this time. (He was engaged in Albany on public business.) He
could not rest; he must return to his darling little wife, and spend a
few days with her, and arrange with his brother, Dr. Higgins, to remain
as a protector and physician in his house, until all danger had passed.
He came (to her) unexpected, and she was delighted to see him.
The doctor came to remain as long as it was necessary. Her husband had
already overstaid his time; and, as it was important for him to be in
Albany, he was obliged to leave. There were many anxious hearts that
feared, and silently prayed that their hopes of happiness might be
realized. (I really do think that she had been reasoned out of belief in
_that_ dream.) She rejoiced and was happy when he promised her he would
never again accept an office which would take him from home.
It was a bright, lovely morning. The team stood waiting at the gate, to
take him to Newark (ten miles), the nearest point from which he could
reach the canal packet boat, for Albany. Bessie walked with him to the
gate (about two hundred feet from the door), where he tenderly embraced
her and kissed her again and again, promising that he would refrain from
leaving home on business in the future. He alluded in glowing terms to
their prospects of happiness, in the birth of their expected child, and
warned her of the danger of yielding to superstition. He begged her not
to repeat her dreams, as they were the result of a disordered condition
of health. Then, taking her in his arms, he carried her back to the
house, saying: "My darling, I cannot part with you here at the gate;
permit me to remember you as seated in your pleasant room, surrounded by
loving friends, and happy again." He held her in a long, fond embrace,
kissing her with tears and sobs, and gently seating her in her
easy-chair, bade her farewell, and rushed to the conveyance, fearing to
look back, lest he should see her weeping at the door.
She wept some time after he was gone, but soon felt more cheerful, and
frequently repeated what he had promised--that he would never leave home
again after that season.
A week had passed, and a little voice was heard. She fondly clasped her
babe to her breast and called it "My little Charles, my darling baby!
Oh! how happy I am." They were both doing well. Letters were sent to her
husband by every mail, which were duly received by him. She wished the
child would resemble his father, who was a splendid man in every sense.
She too was perfect in form and feature.
It was the day on which she had attained her age of twenty-seven years,
eight months, and twenty-six days, _the age marked on the tombstone she
had seen in her dream of about nine years before_. All the family knew
of it, though she gave no sign of thinking of it, and seemed entirely
cheerful and happy.
The little one was two weeks old; a letter was received that morning
saying, "I shall be at home the last of this week. I shall say
farewell to Albany." Words cannot express her joy at this unexpected
announcement. She directed everything, how to dress the baby, and
arranged for them to go after her husband's mother and sister, who had
not seen the little one, as they had been absent on a visit. They were
delighted to find Bessie and the baby so well, and the little Charles
looking "so exactly like his father, except that he had his mother's
curly hair." The mother seemed perfectly happy, but there were anxious
hearts that silently prayed to God to avert the fearful calamity, which
they feared might now be hanging over them. The day was passing away.
She was well and cheerful. Her family were near her, doing all they
could to divert her thoughts from _the date_. Her minister, Rev. Mark
Johnson, and his wife called to spend an hour with the family. She was
pleased to see them, and united with them in prayer. She called Mrs.
Johnson to see how sweetly the infant nestled in her bosom. Then,
turning to the minister she said, "Mr. Johnson, we shall have the baby
christened Charles Smith Higgins as soon as his father comes home."
The last rays of the setting sun shone on the tree tops. Once more she
called attention to the child, smiling on it the while; when suddenly
she exclaimed, "Oh!" and placed one hand upon her breast, while with the
other pressing the babe closer to her bosom.
Mother caught her in her arms, her sister Catharine ran to call the
doctor; but before they could enter the room, her spirit had taken its
flight to the immortal world.
Her tombstone now records her dream, verbatim, in the old cemetery in
Sodus.
They directed letters to her husband and friends in Albany, also sent
letters to every packet-boat going east and returning. (There were no
railroads nor convenient telegraph wires at that time.) They published
the sad news in all the papers, and sent them to every place where he
would be likely to get them.
He left Albany on Thursday, expecting to reach home on Sunday. At Lyons
he left the boat, thinking he could reach home some hours sooner by
taking a private conveyance. He met an acquaintance at the hotel, who
handed him a paper containing a "special notice" of the sudden death
of Mrs. Elizabeth Higgins. He saw no more, but fell prostrated with
overwhelming grief. In vain they tried to rouse him until the reaction
came. The funeral was appointed for half-past two o'clock P.M. He had
twenty miles to ride, and it was nearly one o'clock then; he called for
a horse, and started direct for the church, hoping to reach there before
the burial. A large concourse had already assembled at the house, which
was about two miles distant from the church. All were anxiously looking
and waiting for the absent one. The weather was extremely warm, and they
would proceed slowly; so it was thought best to start. Several times
they halted on the way. Every eye and ear were strained to catch the
faintest sight or sound, but all in vain. The church was reached. The
mourners moved slowly up the aisle. There was not a single heart in
that large assembly which did not thrill with sorrowful emotion. The
congregation prayed in silence, and sobs were heard in every part of
the house. The minister stood silent for a moment, then slowly and
distinctly said--"I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord."
His voice was deep and solemn, and its clear tones penetrated every
heart. His eyes beamed with tenderness, as he recounted with touching
pathos the scenes of past happiness and this sad reverse. He offered up
petitions to the Most High for the bereaved husband and friends. After
taking final leave of those dearly loved features, so soon to be closed
forever from our mortal vision, we started for the cemetery, distant
about a quarter of a mile. Once more we halted. All hearts were
high-strung with the hope that Uncle Charles might yet arrive; a prayer
was said, the last sad offices were performed, and the friends returned,
with aching hearts, to their bereaved home. Just as the family were
entering the gateway, a tired, dusty rider came galloping at full speed.
He came from the cemetery, where he had been seen to throw himself on
the newly made grave, and call, in the bitter anguish of his soul, "My
darling, O, my darling, come back to me." (His sister's son witnessed
the scene.) It was sad to see his manly form so bowed by sorrow. He
threw his arms around her sisters and held them in a long embrace; then
calling for the child, he clasped it to his heart, crying, "My Bessie's
baby! Oh, my darling child! You are all that is left to me."
I cannot describe his grief. It can be better imagined, than expressed
in language.
PROPHETIC CLAIRVOYANCE.
Another story of my great-grandmother, which not only exists in the
family, but which I perfectly remember to have heard from her own lips,
illustrates her faculty of what I may call prophetic clairvoyance.
She had a friend and neighbor, named Urie, who had a splendid team of
horses, of which he was very fond and proud, but which she had often
urged him to get rid of, assuring him that they would cause his death if
he did not. Her habitual manifestations of this faculty were during her
somnambulic walks in the middle hours of the night; but this I am now to
relate occurred about noonday, when she had not been asleep.
She was seated at a window which looked upon the road, engaged in some
work of embroidery, when she was seen to start up, rush out to the road
and run at her utmost speed about a mile, to a spot where the grassy
side of the road sloped up to a fence. At this spot (followed by Mr.
Urie's wife and family), she ran up to the fence, and, taking off her
apron, was seen to hold something, seemingly enfolded in it, with every
indication of extreme agitation and distress. With her hands clasped
together she was seen to rock her body backward and forward in great
distress over the _something_ apparently covered by the apron. Exactly
one year from that day she _did_ see from her window Mr. Urie's team
running away wildly past the house, dragging him entangled in the lines.
At the precise spot where she had stopped before, now lay his dead body,
with the bloody face so torn and disfigured that she took off her apron
to cover it up from sight.
My mother used frequently to receive warning of an approaching death
in the family, through a particular dream (it was that of dining with
General Washington). The recurrence of that dream always brought with
it great distress to her mind, and she used to say (she was the soul of
truth and all human goodness) that this warning had never failed her.
Much more on this subject of these indications of ancestral mediumship
running in our family may be found in Mr. Owen's "Foot-falls," he having
taken particular interest in inquiring into the aspect of the subject.
BROTHER DAVID.
Besides ourselves, who have been brought so prominently before the
public, my brother David and my other sisters have often given clear
proofs of some form or degree of mediumship. David and his wife can, at
almost any time, communicate with Spirits; not only by sitting at a
table, but by together touching a chair, or any other similar object,
the movements of which will signal to them the letters of the alphabet.
UNCLE JOHN.
My mother's only brother, John, was once kicked on the head by a
favorite horse, which the blacksmith did not dare to shoe, and which his
young master once rashly attempted to handle for the purpose. Uncle John
was carried into the hotel unconscious, where he lay all night in that
condition. About twelve o'clock that night his sister, Aunt Elizabeth
(Mrs. Higgins), at home, about thirty miles distant, both heard and saw
him walk across her room, groaning in pain. As he did not answer when
she spoke to him, she supposed he had not heard her, and she went into
her grandfather's room; who, speaking first before she could do so,
said, "What's the matter with John? He has walked past my door several
times, holding his hand to his head, and looked into my room; but when I
spoke, he went away without answering me."
The next morning word came that he was lying, dangerously injured, at
the hotel. His father went immediately to him, but found him unconscious
and unable to speak. He eventually recovered, and declared that he had
been at home with the family during the night of his injury.
His grandfather, John C. Smith, my great-grandfather, English by birth,
was the one who saved me when lost in the woods. (See the curious story
related on a future page.) I think he was the very noblest and grandest
man I have ever known. He was of unusual stature and strength, of the
sweetest temper and character, as well as of superior intellect.
MR. COOK'S DEATH.
A party consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Emerson, Mr. Cook--an English
gentleman and a partner and intimate friend of Mr. Emerson--mother, her
sister Catharine, Ann Emerson and myself (we were little girls at that
time), drove to the "Sand Hill burying-ground" to visit the graves of
our loved ones. Mr. Cook and my aunt rode in his carriage, while the
rest of us rode in the family carriage. They arrived a little before we
did, and walked to Mr. E's. plot, where stooping he pulled up a flower
and, tossing it at my beautiful Aunt Catharine, said, "I wonder who
will lie here next?" After remaining a while we drove home, in Clinton
Street, Rochester, where the nurse was standing with the babe Georgie in
her arms. (George was an uncommonly lovely boy, named after Mr. Cook.)
When taking the child in his arms Mr. Cook said, "O thou angel boy! I
must not neglect to will thee thy dower." He remained with us through
the evening and bade us good-night. His house was nearly a mile away. I
retired with mother and her sister. I slept in a trundle-bed drawn from
under their large bed. Our family was then boarding there, father being
absent from home much of the time. It was my habit to study my lessons
in bed before going to sleep, in which way I was sure to remember them
in the morning; and as there was to be a school exhibition next day, it
was late before I put out the candle, when mother gave a fearful scream
which brought every one to inquire the cause. At first she declined to
say anything about it--feeling very sure it must have been Mr. Cook she
had seen; and she disliked to say anything more. She however insisted
upon having seen a man, and described him as resting upon his hands on
the bed, bending over her sister Catharine, and looking her in the face;
she recognized the man to be Mr. Cook. They tried to impress her with
the belief that it was a dream, but she knew she had not slept.
Early next morning a messenger woke up the household, and announced that
Mr. Cook had dropped dead in the mill at 6 A.M. He and Mr. Emerson were
the wealthy owners of the principal flouring mills on the Genesee River,
at Rochester.
Mr. Cook's body was buried at the spot from which he had plucked the
flower.
Mr. Cook was no doubt sleeping quietly at the time they were searching
the house to find the apparition just before the midnight hour, as he
said to his foreman on entering the mill, in reply to his morning
salutation, "I am well, and I think I slept too well, as I intended to
be here at five o'clock." He walked a moment longer and fell, to rise no
more.
STRANGE OCCURRENCES PRIOR TO GRANDFATHER'S DEATH.
My sister Maria (Mrs. Smith) from her childhood has, at certain times,
been able, by gently touching her fingers to the lightest of tables, to
make it impossible for a strong man to lift it from the spot without
danger of breaking it.
My sister, Mrs. Osterhout, was also remarkable for intuitive knowledge,
dreams, and visions. Some fifteen or sixteen years ago some singular
manifestations occurred around the lingering death-bed of her husband.
About a week before his death my sister was called off to a room in the
house, five rooms distant from the one he occupied, where some sewing
women were at work, really in preparation for his fast-nearing end. On
her return he told her he had heard all the directions she had been
giving, and repeated them to her. The following extract is from a letter
from my niece Helen, one of his children. It speaks for itself:
"A few days afterward we were all in the room, and he said, 'Do you
see?' We all looked in the same direction he was looking, and saw a
coffin being carried out of the house. I shall never forget the look he
gave us; Emma, Ben, Nannie, and myself were in the room. We all saw it.
Three days before he died the boys were in the barn. It being Sunday,
we were busy doing the morning work, when we were startled by what we
thought to be the report of a gun. A second time we heard the same
report. Father said, 'The boys have got the gun in the barn,' and wanted
them to be called into the house; but they had heard the second report,
which they thought was in the house, and came in to see what was the
matter. We were now all gathered in father's room, when a third report
sounded still louder and seemed to be in the same room with us. Mother
was very much affected, and father said, 'Don't be frightened, my
darling, it is only a warning of the near approach of my death.' There
were a great many things at that time transpiring which were very
mysterious. Lights were seen in the house and door-yard, barn, etc.,
which could not be accounted for; and sounds were heard as of sawing,
driving of nails, etc."
MY OWN CHILDREN.
All my children grew up into Spiritualism naturally. Lillie, once, while
lying awake in bed with her sister Lizzie, the gas being at half-light,
saw a lady standing in the corner of the room who then walked about it,
passed out, and then re-entered it. She wore a dress resembling her
sister's wrapper, with its peculiar large flowered pattern. The bed
being a wide one, she was not in contact with her sister, and supposed
the figure to be Lizzie, and called to her to ask what she was about,
but she perceived that it was _not_ her sister, who was asleep by her
side, and whom she waked. They turned up the light, and the figure was
no more there. Both were frightened, and kept the light burning brightly
for the rest of the night.
Lillie used often to say to me, "Mamma, put out the light. My guardian
Spirit will take care of me." She had no fear of them. Georgie, on the
contrary, was somewhat afraid, and would say, "Leave a little light,
mamma, 'cause the Spirits are rapping." Leah would come flying
down-stairs, pale and almost breathless, at the least indication of the
presence of Spirits. Still they all knew and believed in them, and loved
to sit in dark circles in our family alone and witness the different
forms of manifestations.
Lillie has an abnormal faculty which often gives entertainment to her
friends. She goes out of the room, and any member of the company may
hide any small object wherever he may please--such as a key or coin or
anything convenient. All the rest of the company are requested to fix
their thoughts on the object and its place of concealment, while careful
not to do or say anything to suggest a clue. On her entrance she takes
his hand and applies it to her forehead, still holding on to it and
keeping her eyes shut. She will then lead him to the spot where it is
concealed. She moves by starts, he accompanying her passively. She very
rarely fails to find the article concealed.
MUSICAL MEDIUMSHIP.
I might tell much of the indications of the mediumistic character which
have run through the children of the generation following our own; that
is to say, those of my brother and sisters and myself, including my
nephew's little son of five years, who plays on a child's harmonica with
astonishing accuracy and beauty, accompanying any musical performance
and following every variation with whatever rapidity, with his face
kindled with excitement and delight; the whole being spontaneous,
without ever having had any instruction. He is (I have no doubt) a
musical medium, of whom the world has seen several; the most remarkable
one being the idiot boy known as "Blind Tom." It is indeed evident
enough that this mysterious gift, or whatever it may be called, is not
destined to die out with the present generation.
The next instance of mediumship in the generation succeeding ourselves
is such as to merit a chapter to itself.
CHAPTER VII.
MEDIUMISTIC VEIN IN OUR FAMILY (_Continued_).
MARVELLOUS WRITING BY A BABY MEDIUM.
But I must mention more particularly the case of my little nephew,
the elder of the two children of my sister Katie, now Mrs. Jencken
(pronounced Yencken); for I have now before me two pieces of writing
actually executed by his baby fingers. The story of the incident is as
follows:
Katie and I were sitting at the billiard table, which then occupied the
middle of our library, with the child in my lap; while his mother, at
my side, was relating some of the incidents of the day. (She had been
calling on old friends.) The child being troublesome in his movements
and cries, his mother, to quiet him, gave him the paper and pencil (it
was a piece of white blotting paper, not much inked by use), as the
child was fond of scratching lines and marks. She said, "There! take
that, and keep still." He dropped the paper once or twice, and I picked
it up and held one end of it, he holding the other; and with his
disengaged hand I noticed that he was not making mere marks and
scratches, but that he was actually forming letters, and I exclaimed,
"Why, Katie, he is writing!"
"I shouldn't be surprised," was her answer. We watched the process, as
his dear little fingers were guided to complete, in somewhat straggling
letters, though perfectly distinct, "Grandma is here. Boysie." It is
not strong nor dark enough to be reproduced in photography, but any
respectable inquirer is welcome to inspection of the sentence written
by the child, then one year old. His father had been delighted, at his
birth, with the appearance of so beautiful a child; and his baptismal
name was Ferdinand Lowenstein Diedrick. His pet name was "Boysie." The
extent of his baby vocabulary at that time was "papa" and "mamma." My
late brother-in-law, Mr. Jencken, was a highly respected barrister
in London. He was prominent in the labors of the "Society for the
Codification of International Law," of which the well-known David Dudley
Field is President; who has said of him that not half a dozen men in all
Europe could compete with him.
Besides the above-mentioned writing actually executed by this wonderful
medium baby of about a year old, which I have in my possession, and of
which I regret that it cannot be photographed, I have before me also a
photographic copy, of _carte de visite_ size (sent me by Mr. Jencken),
of a piece of writing executed by his infant fingers at the age of five
months and eighteen days (of course controlled by Spirit power), in
these words: _I love this little boy. God bless his mama. J. B. F._ And
below, _I am happy_ (the last syllable of "happy" being scrawled very
indistinctly). Below it is the following attestation by Mr. Jencken's
hand: "Written by the infant boy of Mrs. Jencken on the 11th March,
1874, aged five months and eighteen days. Mr. Jencken, Mrs. Jencken, and
nurse present."
On the rear of the card, in the hand of Mr. Jencken (and in that of my
sister, Katie, for her signature), is the further attestation: "The
writing on the other side of this leaf was written by our infant child,
aged five months and eighteen days, in our presence, in a clear light,
the pencil having been placed in the baby's hand by an invisible
agency.--London, 11th March, 1874. (Signed) H. D. Jencken. (Signed)
K. F. Jencken."
On the opposite page will be found lithographic copies of the two sides
of the card above described.
[Illustration: I love this little
boy. God bless his mama.
J B F,
I am happy
Written by the infant boy
of Mrs Jencken on the
=11 March 1874=, aged 5 months
& 18 =days=
Mr Jencken, Mrs Jencken &
nurse present.
The writing on the other
leaf was written by our
infant child, aged 5 months
& 18 days, in our presence, in
a clear light, the pencil
having been placed in the baby's
right hand by an invisible
agency.
London 11 March 1874.
H. D. Jencken.
K. F. Jencken.]
Among my loose papers I find a newspaper article from the _London
Spiritualist_ of December 12, 1873, respecting this extraordinary child:
"MEDIUMSHIP OF A BABY.--H. D. Jencken, Barrister-at-Law, of 53
Brompton-Crescent, Brompton, has had further disturbances in his house,
in consequence of the mediumship of his little boy, aged two months.
"Last Friday Mr. Jencken and Mrs. Jencken (Kate Fox) went to the great
scientific _soirée_ at the Crystal Palace, and that same evening, about
nine o'clock, their housemaid, Elizabeth, went up-stairs to the front
drawing-room to turn down the gas burners. As she approached the door
she saw its handle turn round and she cried out, 'Who is that?' The door
then opened, and a veiled figure looked out at her. She only saw a part
of the face, because the white drapery about it hid the rest, and she
fancied that the eyes had an evil look. She ran down-stairs and gave the
alarm to the cook and sempstress, saying that she thought thieves were
in the house.
"Just after this occurred on the first floor, the nurse, Mrs. Macarthy,
who was watching the baby in a room near the top of the house, heard
footsteps outside; the door gently opened, and a short woman, young and
pleasant-looking, robed in white, entered, and returned quickly, twice.
At first the nurse thought that a joke was being played upon her; but,
upon searching the adjoining room and landing, she could not find
anybody. She then went down-stairs and joined the three servants below,
who had previously heard footsteps going up-stairs from the drawing-room
to the nursery.
"The cook then went for a policeman, and the other three servants went
up to the nursery, where they heard rapping noises and voices; the
latter were not sufficiently distinct to be intelligible. They also
heard footsteps going right up to the top of the house. When the police
arrived they searched the house and found nothing. Just as they were
going away, some footsteps followed them down the stairs. One of the
policemen turned round and said that the noises must be caused by a
ghost.
"Three days previously the housemaid had seen a figure in the
drawing-room. It suddenly disappeared. This form, she said, was covered
with a shawl, like that worn by Mrs. Jencken before she left the house.
Was it Mrs. Jencken's 'double,' present there in consequence of her
constant thoughts about the baby?
"The nurse says she has seen hands making passes over the baby, and has
heard raps at the head of the child's bedstead, and once the pillow was
pressed down by an unseen hand. On another occasion, a gold ring was
seen knocking against the iron rail at the head of the bedstead. Last
Sunday we questioned the nurse and housemaid on all these points. They
were in a very nervous state about the whole matter, and evidently
deeply impressed by the circumstances, since they knew nothing about
Spiritualism, until these phenomena forced themselves upon their
attention.
"Mr. Jencken tells us that a few days ago, about six o'clock in the
morning, while it was yet dark, Mrs. Jencken brought the child to him.
A strong light streamed from both the eyes of the baby, and illuminated
its face, and raps said, 'We are looking at you through the eyes of the
baby.' When Mr. Jencken stated this, we called his attention to the
circumstance that a similar thing had occurred in connection with the
mediumship of Swedenborg, whose eyes shone for a time with such lustre,
as to frighten some persons who unexpectedly entered his room. In that
case also, the Spirits said that they were looking through his eyes. On
several occasions recently, while we have been present at _séances_ at
Mr. Jencken's house, footsteps have been heard outside, and the rustling
of a dress against the door. On quickly opening the door, nobody was
there.
"Mr. and Mrs. Jencken leave town for Brighton next Monday."
For a further specimen of Spirit writing executed by the fingers of
this marvellous infant, the reader is referred to page 550 of Mrs. E.
Hardinge Britten's recent great work, entitled "Nineteenth Century
Miracles." The writing in this case was, "_I love this little child God
bless him advise his father to go back to London on Monday by all means.
Susan._" The attesting witnesses are, I. Wason, K. F. Jencken, E.
Buffum, New Church College, Devonshire Street, Islington, London, and
the + mark of Mrs. McCarthy, the nurse who held the child.
From a letter from Mr. Jencken I know that this advice to him "_to go
back to London on Monday by all means_" was good counsel. It proved that
his presence there was necessary for important business. Mrs. Britten's
book (p. 550) gives a facsimile of this communication as written by
Spirit power through the tiny fingers of a baby. My sister wrote me at
the time a long letter about it, full of anxiety lest so wonderful a
child could not be expected to grow up to health. Its correctness is
therefore unimpeachable. But I must add that the letter-press at the
bottom, in which the age of the infant is given as "nine days," is a
manifest mistake, probably typographical. It is quite sufficient that
his age counted by months. As a human achievement by such baby fingers,
it would be incredible; as the act of a Spirit employing those of a
remarkable baby medium, it is simple enough to the apprehension of any
experienced Spiritualist.
What future awaits this child remains to be seen. The house of his
parents used for a time to be overrun by people of rank too high to be
(in that country) refused admittance, who wanted to see some specimens
of his mediumistic manifestations; until his parents wisely determined
to break it all off, and not allow any exercise of his powers in that
line to be indulged in, till he shall have reached the age of adult
physical development in health and strength.
The child is now about ten years of age, and, I rejoice to say, healthy,
active, and bright, as well as beautiful;--and further that his parents
have kept him entirely aloof from mediumship--to which course I strongly
advised them.
OUR MOTHER AND FATHER.
Our dear mother (who passed from this life to the next on the 3d
August, 1865) was a woman of sound intellect, gentle disposition,
very charitable, and just to every one. She had great power of
discrimination, and seldom failed in her estimate of character. Her
portrait looks down upon me from our parlor wall; and when I look up
into her blessed face, my first impulse is to fall upon my knees and
thank my God that I have had such a mother.
Robert Dale Owen was one day sitting in the back parlor, engaged in
writing. He remained with us three months, at my husband's invitation,
while writing his "Foot-falls on the Boundary of Another World." He sat
at equal distance from mother and her portrait, alternately looking from
one to the other. As I stepped in the door, he turned to me and said,
"Mrs. Underhill, if that were the portrait of my mother, and she were
living, as yours now is, and could sit for another every day, I would
not take a thousand dollars for it. I never saw a portrait so perfectly
correct in my life, and I doubt if you could ever get another so
perfect."
Our father was not as well known to the public. Situated as we were, our
parents concluded that, as we were compelled to travel and submit to all
investigations necessary to establish a new truth (for new it was, to
us), or to submit to, or rest under the condemnation of the world at
large, we must of necessity have suitable companions. Therefore it was
decided that mother and Calvin should go wherever we went.
Our father was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was a
class leader at the time of his death (on the 10th January, 1865). One
Sunday morning he was ready to go to church and stood in the library,
waiting for my husband, who was going with him. I stood beside him when
suddenly the signal for the alphabet was given. I repeated the letters,
and the Spirit said, "My dear son, it is a pleasure to me to attend you
to the church. I always go with you there."
His chest heaved, and with tears in his eyes he said, "Are you the
Spirit of my dear mother now speaking to me?" The answer was, "Yes, I am
your mother Catharine." He then asked, "Is my father here too?" Answer,
"Yes, my dear son. I bless you this morning. We shall all be together in
Heaven soon.
"DAVID."
I asked him, "Do you think the Methodists would approve of this if you
were to read it to them?" He replied, "It would matter little to me
whether they did or not. I not only believe it but I know it is true,
and the time will come when they will all believe it."
Mr. Underhill then went with him to church, and when they returned he
said to me (holding up the little message in his hand), "This, to me, is
far stronger proof of a glorious immortality than all the preachers on
earth could give me."
Mother was also a member of the same church in Rochester in 1849. She
was officially waited upon in Arcadia by a very young preacher (hardly
twenty years of age in appearance) who had, evidently, but little
experience in the office to which he had been _specially called_ to save
souls. He introduced himself as the "servant of the Lord," and, walking
up to mother, said, "This is sister Fox, I suppose?" Mother replied, "I
am Mrs. Fox." "Well, Mrs. Fox, there is a complaint against you for
countenancing your children in carrying on a wicked deception. It is
calculated to do much harm, and it is contrary to the religion of the
Bible." He urged her to make her confession before the church, and cause
her children to discontinue their unholy pursuit, and she could remain
in good standing in the church. This little man was a circuit preacher,
and we suppose had taken upon himself to do the Lord's work, in his own
way, as we never heard from him again; and I seriously doubt if any one
ever sent him. It recalls what Sojourner Truth said to the preacher,
when she was attending a woman's rights meeting in the church and a
violent thunder-storm came up, with peal after peal shaking the building
to its foundation, when the minister arose and proposed that they should
adjourn, as he thought the Lord was angry on account of the movement,
and he believed it was wicked to hold such a meeting in a church.
Sojourner arose and said to him, "Set still, chile. Don't you be
afeared. I don' believe the Lord ever hearn tell on you."
Mother was never expelled from the church, but the leading members came
to our side--minister and all.
* * * * *
A celebrated seer has publicly asserted that rapping mediums are
necessarily of nervous temperament, apprehensive of evil, and usually
diseased.
There has never been in our family, so far as I have been able to trace
them, on either side, a taint of disease; from my mother's grandfather
Rutan, who lived to be ninety-three years of age, and her grandfather on
her father's side, John C. Smith, who was more than eighty years of age
when he left this sphere of existence. The same is true of my father's
father and grandfather, neither of whom were diseased. We have been
singularly free from all manner of ailments so common in thousands of
families. We had no taint of hereditary scrofula, were never subject
to inflammatory diseases. Healthy, sound, and strong, not easily
frightened, steadfast in faith, and never disposed to believe anything
without evidence. I have very little interest in anything covered by the
words theoretic speculations, or in self-induced conditions, in which
many thousands who stand on rostrums and teach the anxious inquirers
after truth that of which they themselves know little or nothing. My
motto is: Live up to your highest light. Listen to the small voice
within, and obey the dictates of your conscience. Do unto others as you
would be done by. Follow the golden rule. Go worship where and what your
conscience, not pride, leads you, and you need not fear to meet your
God.
* * * * *
Justice as well as reverential duty has prompted my gracing the
title-page with the portrait of my mother, rather than follow the
customary practice of placing upon it that of the author, by way of
personal introduction to the eye of the reader. Though, as has been
seen, our father had but little part to play beyond that of consenting
spectator in the early history of Spiritualism, yet my mother's part in
it, and services to its cause, were of the highest value and importance.
Her strength, moral and mental, as the central figure of our family
group before the public, largely supported us in our mission, in which
she always accompanied and protected us; nor, after she had once yielded
her consent and acceptance of the "duty," did she ever begrudge her time
and her labors thus withdrawn from the private life of domesticity,
which would have been infinitely her preference.
CHAPTER VIII.
ROCHESTER (_Continued_).
"REPEAT THE LORD'S PRAYER"--FIRST MONEY ACCEPTED--MUSCULAR
QUAKERISM--LETTER FROM GEORGE WILLETS--LETTER FROM JOHN E.
ROBINSON--CAUTION AGAINST CONSULTATION OF SPIRITS ABOUT WORLDLY
INTERESTS.
To resume the narrative interrupted at page 74.
We left Corinthian Hall about ten o'clock P.M., and returned with Mr.
and Mrs. Post, to their hospitable Quaker home.
We had passed the fiery ordeal. It had been a wearisome, exhausting
trial. We needed rest, and it was thought advisable for us to remain
there a few days. Many people called at our house on Troup Street, and,
when they were informed of our absence, subsequently called at Mr.
Post's to see us, but were refused admittance under the circumstances
which imposed the necessity.
Before we left this home of our kind and dear friends, mother and Kathie
returned. (The latter had been to Mr. Capron's, in Auburn, and returned
with mother to Rochester.)
Mother had not heard of the public investigation, and thus was spared
all the anxiety and torture of mind which we had undergone. She declared
that if she had been there she would not have permitted it.
We were consoled by the reflection that we had fairly gained the
victory, and cleared ourselves from the charges of deception; and that
was our first and chief desire. We believed we had done our duty, and
rejoiced that we had been so truly, so kindly and so nobly supported,
and so honorably acquitted. Mother was rejoiced at our success and began
to feel more resigned. Many persons continued to call, and all were
anxious to learn from us and the Spirits something more than they were
able to get through popular report or the newspapers. We often refused
to see them, and declared we would not again subject ourselves to the
criticisms of those who knew little or nothing of the subject, and were
in general so bitterly hostile and prejudiced against it.
Oh, how little did we know of all that was before us! We had just opened
the door to the public curiosity and interest; and it was not for us to
discriminate _who_ should enter therein. The people came from every
direction. We knew not what to do. Judge Hascall came to spend an
evening with us, bringing with him a large party of his friends,
viz., Judge Summerfield, Hon. J. Hedden, Andrew Stewart, Mr. Duncan
McNaughton, Judge Chamberlain, Mr. McKay, and Mr. McVean. One of these
parties was known to his friends as an extreme infidel in religious
matters.
Several of the parties named had visited us before, and they had urged
Mr. McNaughton to spend the evening with us. He tried to excuse himself,
but they insisted, and he finally consented to do so; they clearly
understood that he was not to take any part in the investigation.
They arrived at about eight o'clock P.M. Judge Hascall introduced the
gentlemen as his friends and neighbors from Genesee County, N. Y. They
were all distinguished men, holding high positions in their several
pursuits.
No sooner had we taken our seats at the table, than the Spirits spelled
out, "My dear son, repeat the Lord's prayer." Each member looked at the
others inquiringly, but no word was spoken except to ask "Who?"
The rappings answered, "My dear son, ha'e ye forgotten your puir auld
mither? O my son, repeat the Lord's prayer." Mr. McNaughton was a very
tall man, with a strong Scotch accent. The rapping still continued
to call upon him to repeat the Lord's prayer. He looked from one to
another, but said nothing. His friends urged him to comply with the
Spirit's request; but he was disgusted, and thought it was a trick which
his friends were playing upon him, and as they were very jolly, he would
not make himself ridiculous by resenting it: but still no further
manifestations came, under the then state of things.
His friends told him that if he wanted to witness anything further
he would have to comply with the request of the Spirit. After much
persuasion, he reluctantly commenced in a very low, indistinct manner to
mumble something that sounded like "Our father, which art in heaven." By
this time a universal roar of laughter broke from the company. Still,
the Spirit urged him to go on, and he began again with little better
success.
His friends knew full well it had been many a day since he had prayed
with his "dear auld mither." The Spirit then spelled that "_all_
should join in repeating the Lord's prayer," and we all united in its
repetition. The responsive rappings of approval were heard all over the
room--on the table, chairs, floor, and wall. Mr. McNaughton looked
astonished. The table danced with evident joy, and we were obliged
to move back. There it stood, upon one foot, fairly dancing. Mr.
McNaughton exclaimed boldly, in his Scotch dialect, "Exthraordinary!
Exthraordinary! I begin to understand it now." The laughter was over.
The Spirit of his mother said, "My dear son, do you remember how we used
to repeat the Lord's prayer together, when you were a little laddie?"
"Yes, mother. Yes, I comprehend it all. I am converted to the truth of
Spiritual manifestations."
The company remained until ten o'clock, and the manifestations were
very satisfactory. They felt more than gratified, and, to use their own
words, said, "We cannot go away without giving you some remuneration for
the time you have kindly spent with us." Mr. McNaughton had just lost a
lovely daughter, and she gave him sweet assurance of her undying love
and her immortal existence.
This is the first instance in which we had ever been offered payment for
our time. They offered it in kindness and good faith, believing it was
justly our due. But to us it seemed humiliating. We had not needed such
aid, as my brother furnished us with provisions from the farm, and, with
what I still had left of that received for teaching, I had enough for
present purposes; and I fully intended to return with mother, and live
at the old home. Still our friends insisted that we should not refuse
their kindly intended gift. This first money was received on November
28, 1849.
* * * * *
I will here introduce, for love and veneration to his memory, a letter
written about this time by our excellent Quaker friend George Willets,
of Rochester, to Mr. E. W. Capron, who handed it over to me. He was
one of the noblest of men. And Quaker as he was (he was one of the
"Progressive Friends," commonly called Hicksites), I once witnessed a
scene in which a just and righteous indignation caused him to cast off
his coat, in readiness to deal in very mundane fashion with an unworthy
and misbehaving member of one of the "investigating committees." "I've
never fought a man in my life," he said, "but I will not stand by
and see thee insult these children." The assailant wilted down. The
provocation was such that I am sure the angel who may have charge of
the short record of Quaker sins, after writing it "dropped a tear on the
words and blotted them out forever."
LETTER FROM GEORGE WILLETS.
(About end of 1848.)
_Dear friend, E. W. Capron:_
It is with some reluctance that I furnish you with the following
statement. Not that I am afraid to tell the truth, but that the world,
as I conceive, is not ready to receive such truths yet. _Ridicule_ will
probably be heaped upon me; but when I consider that it is the ignorant
only who use that weapon, perhaps I can afford to stand up and say, "Let
the storm come." All who know me can say whether I have been truthful
from my youth up, yea or nay; and the strongest language that I can use
is to say that the following statement is _strictly and entirely true_.
In the summer of 1848, I had concluded, from the best judgment that
I could bring to my aid, that it was best for my family to remove
somewhere among the wilds of the West. Accordingly I took a tour of
observation, and finding some land in Michigan, that suited me better
than any other, belonging to a gentleman living in Rochester, I stopped
on my return, in order, if possible, to negotiate for it. I stayed
with my friend and relative, Isaac Post, and while there he told me
of certain sounds being heard in the city; and that they displayed
intelligence, and purported to be made by "Spirits," or persons
invisible to us. I was really sceptical about any such things, but at
his solicitation went to examine the matter. The persons with whom these
sounds seemed to be, I had never seen nor heard of before, and my friend
was careful not to tell them who I was, or where I had been. It seems
that the question was asked whether there was any communication for me,
and the direction from the sounds was, that three persons be magnetized;
two of whom were present, and one was sent for from a neighboring
family. I did not know the name of any person present, and I was also
certain that none of them knew me. After the three persons were put
in the clairvoyant state, one of them said, "We have got to go to
Michigan." They all agreed that they had got to go there, and on my
account. They did seem all to go there, and began to describe places and
things which I had seen, and at length came to a piece of land which
they said was the place they came to look at. They then described the
land so accurately, which I had stopped in Rochester to buy, that I
began to wonder who had told them. They all, with one accord, then said,
"But he must not go there. His father says that he had better not go."
As they said this, there came a loud sound close to my chair, and _I sat
some distance from any other person_. They spoke much of my father, and
what his mind was, and at each time that same sound was heard. Up
to this time I had not spoken a word, but found the big drops of
perspiration starting from my face. I gathered courage, and thought I
would dispel that illusion directly. I said, "As you assume to know my
father, and what his mind is concerning me, _perhaps_ you can tell his
name." They all seemed to look steadily for some time, then commenced
and spoke slowly and deliberately these letters: "W-i-l-l-i-a-m
W-i-l-l-e-t-s." At each letter the loud sound that I first heard was
again heard, and felt immediately under my feet. I never was so
astonished in my life, and involuntarily said, "What does all this
mean?" The sounds then said, by the alphabet being called over, that
they had better be awakened, and the first loud sounds said, "I will
talk with George, and tell him all about it." The direction was for Mr.
Post, myself, and a little girl, thirteen years old, to go by ourselves.
And here I wish it distinctly understood, that all which I shall relate
as obtained from those sounds, was in the presence only of my friends,
Mr. and Mrs. Post, myself, and the little girl spoken of. As what
follows all purported to be from my father, I will say that his name was
William Willets, a member of the Society of Friends, widely known at
Westbury, Long Island, where he lived until nearly sixty years of age,
and subsequently at Skaneateles, Onondaga County, where he died in 1841.
The communication by sounds then went on to say that it was my father
who was present and talking with me; and three hours were consumed at
the first interview.
In saying to me what his counsel was, it always assumed to counsel and
advise, but never to dictate. He said that it was not best for us to go
to Michigan, and gave various reasons, among which were that we should
not enjoy ourselves in a new country, and that my health would not be
competent for the task of clearing up new land; and that he _foresaw_,
if we did go, that we should come back again, and would be less in
number than when we went. I then asked what was best to do. The answer
then was, "Come to Rochester." I replied that I knew of no business that
I could do in Rochester. The sounds said, "I will tell thee when thee
comes." I asked if I might know now. The answer was, "No, no business is
needed until thee comes, and then I will tell thee." The sounds then
said, that after a time it would be best for me to buy some land. I
asked where. The sounds then spelled out the name of a man whom no one
present knew, and said that he owned fifty acres of land on such a
street adjoining the city, and such a distance from the centre of the
city; that he would sell any part. I asked the price that would be
asked. The sounds were heard and counted by three of us,--one hundred
and fifty times in succession,--to tell us the number of dollars per
acre that would be asked. The sounds said that we had better go the next
day and see if this was so, and said that we should not see the man
until ten o'clock, though we might look for him as early as we pleased.
In the morning I looked in the Directory and there found the name
spelled out to us, and went to his residence at seven o'clock, and was
informed that he was gone to a distant part of the city, and would not
be home until twelve o'clock. We then went to find him, and had some
difficulty in doing so, but after talking with him five or six minutes,
looked at the time, and it _was seven minutes past ten_. This person
said that he owned fifty acres on the street told us by the sounds, and
that he would sell any part. When I asked him the price, he showed me a
map with the price of each lot marked, and taking the number of acres
said by the sounds to be best to buy, and averaging the price, it was
the price told us by the sounds, within six one-hundredths of a dollar
per acre. I then went home to my family and pondered over these strange
things. Many were the conflicts in my own mind, and I heard the cry from
all quarters of "humbug," "deception," "fraud;" but I could not believe
that I wanted to deceive myself. Three months I thought of these things
deeply, and _I could not go_ to Michigan. I concluded, if it was
deception, it would do the world some good to find it out. The first of
December, 1848, I moved from Waterloo to Rochester. A few days after
getting here, the little girl spoken of came round to our house, and
said that the "spirit" had directed her to come; for what purpose she
did not know; we inquired what it was, and this was the communication:
"I told thee if thee would come to Rochester, I would tell thee where
thee could find employment: in four days from this time I will tell
thee. In the meantime the anti-slavery folks are going to hold their
fair; would it not be well for thee to help them?" No one was present
at this time except my wife, the little girl, and myself. The four days
went by, and again, without solicitation, and without thinking the time
was up, the girl came again. The communication was, "Apply to William
Wiley, Superintendent of the Auburn and Rochester Railroad, to-morrow
at two o'clock, at his office, for a situation, and thee will have one
before this week is out." This was Thursday. I was a stranger to Mr.
Wiley, and I called on Mr. Post, and told him the direction, and asked
him if the next day he would go with me. That evening he, happening to
be at the depot, inquired if Mr. Wiley was at home, and was told that he
was in Boston, and, by a letter just received, would not be at home till
Friday night. I was told by the sounds on Wednesday to apply on Thursday
at two o'clock. Thursday at half-past one, instead of going to the
railroad office, I went round where these sounds were heard, and said,
"How is this?--I am told to apply to William Wiley, and he is in
Boston." The sounds said: "_Go to his office now, he is there_." I
called for Mr. Post and walked immediately there, and _found Mr. Wiley
in his office_. He said that he had returned sooner than he expected to
when he wrote the letter. Mr. Post said that I was a relative of his,
and wished employment; and Mr. Wiley replied that they were all full,
with abundant applications, and could give no encouragement whatever. We
walked back, thinking deeply, and I went where the sounds were heard
again. I inquired, "How is this?--Mr. Wiley has no place for me!" The
answer was: "_Thee will have a place on the cars, and will know it
before the week is out_."
On Saturday night, at dark, I met Mr. Post, and he asked if I had heard
anything from Mr. Wiley. I replied, "Not a word." At eight o'clock on
that same evening Mr. Post called at my house, and said that Mr. Wiley
had just been at his store, and said that he had a place for me, and
wished me to call at his office on Monday morning. As Mr. Wiley did not
tell what place I was to fill, I again asked the sounds what it was; and
they said it was to go as baggage-master between this place and Auburn.
On Sunday morning I wrote to my friend James Truman, of Waterloo,
stating that I should pass through that place on Monday following, in
the capacity above stated, _before I knew from Mr. Wiley what place he
wanted me to fill_; and he can probably testify to that fact. One month
after I had been running on the cars, I learned that the person whose
place I took had done things worthy of a dismissal, _previous_ to my
being direc
Showing first 200,000 characters. Full text: gutenberg.org/ebooks/40485