INTRODUCTION
The hamlet of Hydesville provided the setting for the historical
foundation of Modem Spiritualism. Communication between the seen
and unseen began in this small village on 31st March 1848.
Two young girls, Margaretta and Catherine Fox, ages fourteen and twelve
respectively, residents of the hamlet since December of 1847, are
credited as the major participants in the Advent of Modem
American Spiritualism.
HYDESVILLE BACKGROUND
Thirty-five miles east of Rochester, New York, is a small cozy
village built predominantly over a vast gravel pit. The water
sifting through the many layers of rocks provides the area with cold
spring water, and the underground springs nourish acres and acres
of fertile farm lands.
This small community, Hydesville, in Wayne County was founded in
approximately 1790 by pioneers traveling from New England and Long
Island. The land was fertile and enticed the pioneers to settle
and commence farming. The building of the Erie Canal opened
a free route of navigation by water. This, along with new
villages, docks, and warehouse freight stations, brought trade and
settlers to the area.
It was in 1815 that Dr. Henry Hyde, one of the early pioneers,
settled the hamlet that bears his name. On the comer
crossroad. Dr. Hyde built a small framed story-and-a-half
homestead, separated from the roadway by a wood rail fence. The
village grew to include a cluster of modest frame dwellings, a
Methodist church with a graveyard, a red brick school house just down
the road from the cottage, a few shops, and many families of
loving people. Most of these early settlers were related in one way or
another. Thus, the hamlet of Hydesville was settled.
Close by to the south, the sluggish Ganargua, or Mud Creek, as it was
named, often flooded the lowlands. To the east and the north,
large farming areas extended, blending with the horizon.
Between 1815 and 1847, many families lived in the cottage. From
1842 through 1843, the cottage housed the Bell family, who farmed the
land belonging to Dr. Hyde. During the latter part of 1843,
the Bells also had a housekeeper by the name of Lucretia Pulver.
The Bell family had lived in the area for some time. During that
period, a peddler traveled from town to town, home to home, selling
wares to the women of the house. One day the peddler
arrived at the cottage occupied by the Bells and was greeted as an old
friend. He was carrying his peddler's pack of laces,
thread, wools, thimbles, needles, and many other interesting items.
Mrs. Bell and Lucretia looked over the items very carefully, enjoying
the in-house shopping, and as the afternoon passed on, Lucretia
selected a length of flowered delaine (wool). The shopping
was interrupted by Mrs. Bell, who called Lucretia to the outer room to
inform her that her service was no longer needed. Mrs. Bell would
take her home on her way to town. Lucretia, although unhappy,
immediately gathered her meager belongings in preparation for the
departure. She wanted the delaine very much, but having no money,
asked the peddler to deliver it to her house the next day and receive
payment from her father. T he peddler agreed.
Much to Lucretia's surprise, the peddler never arrived. Even more
surprising, Mrs. Bell arrived three days later and asked Lucretia to
return to her service. On the ride back to the cottage, Mrs. Bell
shared her joy about her new possessions with Lucretia. She also
gave her some of the gifts and trinkets she had purchased from
the peddler before his departure. Back at the cottage, Lucretia
was subjected to what would be termed psychic phenomena. She
heard raps at the foot of her bed. The phenomena frightened her,
and her nights were spent in terror. At first, Mrs. Bell
attempted to explain away the phenomena as dreams, but Lucretia
insisted that the happenings she had experienced were real.
The rapping noises began to disturb the Bells themselves, but they
claimed that they were caused by rats and were not the product of
dreams. The next day, Lucretia went to the cellar to get potatoes
for the evening meal, and sank into a large area of loose dirt.
Frightened, she screamed for help. Mrs. Bell insisted that rats
were responsible for the loose dirt. Mr. Bell took immediate
steps to have fill-dirt brought into the cellar to solidify the dirt
floor. Shortly afterwards a variety of stones were stored in the
cellar for later use in building a fence.
The strange phenomena continued. At her wits' end, Lucretia
asked to leave the house. Around that time, Mrs. Bell's health
appeared to be deteriorating. In fact, she stated to Lucretia's
mother, Mrs. Pulver, "I am tired of living." A short
time later, Lucretia returned to her home and the Bells departed the
cottage. They were not seen or heard from again.
The tenants of the house from 1843 to 1846 were the Weekman
family, consisting of father, mother, and two children.
With them lived a housekeeper, a young girl named Jane. For a
full year the cottage was peaceful; then the rapping began
again. Mr. Weekman continually sought the reason for the raps
and, unable to find it, he became frustrated. He even made a
complete check outside the cottage and found nothing. The mystery
prevailed. Then one of the young daughters felt a cold hand
touch her while drifting off to sleep, which caused much
concern. On several nights, the phenomena brought the children
into their parents' room seeking peace and protection. To
add to the mystery, Jane reported seeing the materialized form of
a young sandy-haired man in grey trousers and a black jacket.
Jane was the only one able to see this. She was told it was only
a dream and was forbidden to speak of it in the house. Time
passed, and the Weekman family, too, left the cottage. It
remained vacant until December of 1847, when the new dwellers,
John and Margaret Fox and their daughters, Catherine and Margaretta,
settled in.
THE FOX FAMILY
FATHER : JOHN FOX
MOTHER : MARGARET SMITH - FOX
John Fox and Margaret Smith began their life together in 1812 in
Rockland County, New York. Mr. Fox's blacksmith business provided
financial stability and enough money for the construction of
their own home in the Catskill Mountains of New York. He
was a good provider, industrious and honest, but like all people he had
his faults: His extreme weakness was alcohol. However, John
and Margaret shared a common bond in their faith as devout
Methodists. Margaret Smith Fox differed from her husband in being
an adventurous soul, though she usually displayed a calm dignity
of being. She was also noted for her unimpeachable
character.
The Fox's first child, Emily, was bom in 1813 and passed on in
infancy. The following year, Ann Leah joined the family.
Subsequently, Maria, Elizabeth, and David were bom, at two-year
intervals.
Eventually, Margaret Fox separated from her husband, unable to tolerate
his alcoholism any longer. At age fourteen, Leah married an older
man with the surname of Fish. After the birth of a
daughter, the father deserted, and Leah turned to music as a means
of livelihood.
Little is recorded of the Fox family for a period of about
fourteen years thereafter. The next recorded event was the reunion
of Mrs. Fox with her reformed and sober husband. In 1834
Margaretta Fox was bom, followed in 1836 by the birth of Catherine Fox.
John and Margaret Fox decided they also would settle where their family
lived. First they went to Rochester and lived with Leah for a
brief period. Then, in search of a rural environment, the
family moved on to Hydesville, where, on the land adjoining an old
uncle's property, John Fox commenced building a new home for his
family. On the 11th December 1847, the Fox family temporarily
moved into a cottage next to the smithy where Mr. Fox had his business.
THE FOX FAMILY AT THE HYDESVILLE COTTAGE
It was a long winter, and the family looked forward to spring so they
could resume construction of their own home. Manifestations
of an unknown origin commenced. During this time, raps were heard
in the cottage. Mrs. Fox sought to explain away the noises but
they continued, became stronger, and additional phenomena took
place. Furniture was moved, the touch of a cold hand was
felt, and footsteps walking through the hallway and down the staircase
to the cellar were heard. Mrs. Fox said, "I am certain this
house is haunted, and some unhappy presence is here. I feel it."
Mrs. Fox believed the raps to be a knocking in the east bedroom.
The children were frightened time and time again, and often slept in
their parents' room. On one particular night the Foxes lit a
candle as soon as the noises started, and searched the entire
house. Not a person was in sight! Once again, they settled
in for the night until the bedstead was jarred. The phenomena
continued to increase daily, but all their investigations did not
provide the first clue as to the real cause.
On the 31st March 1848, the family retired early because they
were totally exhausted. A short time later, the phenomena began
again. A search made by Mr. Fox produced no solution. Mrs.
Fox gives this account: "The children in the other 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 imitated following 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 then
said, 'Oh, look. Mother! It can see as well as hear.'"
The family was very excited about the happenings and began to discuss
what the cause might be. One of the children suggested that since
the next day was April Fool's Day, perhaps someone was trying to fool
them. Mrs. Fox decided to put the phenomena to a test. She
asked the "noise" to rap the different ages of her
children. Instantly, she heard the correct ages of her
children in succession, including the age of Emily, who had
passed on in infancy.
Mrs. Fox then proceeded to ask questions. Mrs. Fox: "Is
this a human being that answers my questions so correctly?" There
was no response. She then asked, "Is it a spirit? If
it is, make two raps." The response was an immediate two raps.
Mrs. Fox then stated, "If it is an injured spirit, make two
raps." An affirmative response quickly came, causing the house to
tremble. This answer prompted the following questions, which were
answered in the affirmative: "Were you injured in this
house?" "Is the person living who injured you?" Additional
information was sought and recorded through calling out the letters
of the alphabet one by one and waiting for a yes or no
response from the spirit. The spirit was that of a
thirty-one year old father of five children. He had been
murdered in the house, and his remains had been buried in the cellar.
The Fox family was no stranger to mediumship, since in Mrs. Fox's
family several individuals had evinced the power of second sight,
especially her maternal grandmother and sister, who frequently
perceived coming events.
Mrs. Fox then asked, "Will you continue to rap if I call in
my neighbors that they may hear it too?" Again the raps were in
the affirmative and Mr. Fox went to seek the Redfields. Once the
neighbors arrived and grasped the reality of what was taking
place, the questioning recommenced. It was revealed that the
peddler had been murdered in the house about five years before, on a
Tuesday at midnight. His body had been taken to the cellar by way
of the buttery and stairway, and buried the next night ten feet below
the surface of the cellar. The peddler stated that he had
been murdered for the sum of $500.
On Saturday, April 1, the decision was made to dig below the
cellar. However, it had rained heavily and the house was built on
low ground, so they were not surprised to find water at three
feet. They had to stop digging for the time being. The Fox family
remained in the cottage for a time, then moved into the home of
their only son, David, and his family. In late July of
1848, the water level lowered, and the digging recommenced. This
time, they found pieces of crockery, traces of charcoal and
quicklime, and some human hair and bones. Examination by a
medical man skilled in anatomy revealed that some of the bones
were from a human skull.
The cottage remained uninhabited except for the spirit of the
murdered peddler, Charles B. Rosna. Life went on in Arcadia at
David's home where the Fox family and David's family continued to be
disturbed - doors were opened, the touch of cold hands felt, the beds
shaken violently, bedclothes dragged from the bed. At times it
felt as if an earthquake were taking place. Other phenomena
included the sound of a death struggle, a thud as if
something were falling, the dragging of a helpless body across
the room and down the stairs, digging in the ground, and the nailing
of boards.
Through all this, it became apparent to the Fox Family that the
invisible power was more prevalent in the presence of the girls,
particularly Kate, the youngest daughter. It was decided that Kate
would return to Rochester with Lean, to perhaps reduce the phenomena,
if not stop them completely. However, as soon as Kate and
Leah left the house, the phenomena started again in the presence
of Margaretta.
AFTER HYDESVILLE
FIRST PUBLIC MEETING FOR MODERN SPIRITUALISM
The phenomena continued at Leah Fox Fish's home in Rochester as well,
and people in the community became very aware of the
rappings. When Margaret Fox heard of the occurrences and
the resultant problems, she took Margaretta and hastened to Leah's side.
The rappings became more pronounced. Isaac and Amy Post, friends who
lived in Rochester, were consulted about the manifestations. Mr.
Post suggested they try to use the alphabet as was done in Hydesville,
and this attempt was successful. The first message received
was, "Dear Friends, you must proclaim these truths to the
world. This is the dawning of a new era; you must not try
to conceal it any longer. When you do your duty, God will protect you
and the good spirit will watch over you."
Following the instruction was not an easy task. The sisters
continued their demonstrations, although they were mocked and accused
of trickery, fraud, joint cracking, and ventriloquism.
Despite the hardships, the sisters made the decision to continue the
work the Spirit World had outlined for them.
Following the spirit's orders, in laying the foundation of Modem
Spiritualism before the world they organized the first public meeting
for the movement in Corinthian Hall in Rochester. On November 14,
1849, Mr. Eliab W. Capron lectured on the rapping
phenomena. Leah and Margaretta carried on the demonstrations,
with Catherine in Auburn at the Capron home.
A committee was appointed to investigate the phenomena. There
were threatening cries from the audience and accusations by the
investigators. The girls were stripped of their clothing in
an attempt to prove they were cracking their joints. It was Amy
and Isaac Post who came to their rescue. They took the girls to
their own home, offering the protection the Fox sisters so badly
needed.
The trials and tribulations of the family continued. The
Rochester Democrat, a local newspaper, published a lengthy article
stating, "The humbug is about to end." Soon the sisters
became known as The Rochester Rappers.
OTHER EVENTS
Regardless of all the problems the Fox family faced. Modem
Spiritualism had been born, and its spreading roots were being firmly
embedded in many homes and many towns. The New York Circle was
formed in the summer of 1851. It was the first organized
movement established for the propagation of the facts and truths
of Spiritualism.
Just five months later, after public meetings in Albany, New York, the
demonstrations and the phenomena became accepted in some areas.
Leah, Maggie, and Kate were in constant demand and Leah took up
managing their appearances. Thus, the sisters and their mother,
who traveled with them in most instances, departed from the family
circle to follow their calling while John Fox was left to settle the
new house in Hydesville. The girls and Mrs. Fox began their
travels by going from Rochester to Albany, Buffalo, and New York City;
then on to Cleveland, Ohio, and Philadelphia. The sisters were
fulfilling the direction they had received from the Spirit World
by traveling to various cities and demonstrating the phenomena of
Spiritualism.
THE FOX SISTERS
Leah became the spokeswoman and secretary for the sisters, making
arrangements for their appearances. In the prime of
womanhood, Leah had no apprehension about stage appearances. She
tried unsuccessfully to share her enthusiasm with her younger sisters.
A man named Calvin Brown had been traveling with them as protector and
friend. Mrs. Fox had always related to him as her foster son and Leah
had related to him as a brother. As time passed, Calvin became
very sick, and nearing death, requested Leah's hand in marriage.
In 1851, Leah married Calvin, but it was a short union, for on the 4th
May 1853, Calvin passed to the Spirit World.
Leah continued to be the stabilizing factor among the sisters.
She continued to arrange meetings, private circles, and private
readings. She worked long and hard to follow the task the spirit
had given, even though there were very trying times. For
instance, when her sister Maggie had an affair that might have taken
her away from Spiritualism, Leah approached Maggie's lover. Dr.
Elisha Kane, to discuss his wish that Maggie give up the
demonstrations. The argument ended with Leah telling Dr. Kane
never to step foot in her home again. She then had a terrible
disagreement with her sister over the matter. It became clear after
this incident that Leah and Catherine would have to continue the work
without Maggie, and they gave many years to the task.
Happiness came to Leah again on the 2nd November 1858. She and
Daniel Underhill were married at the home of Horace Greeley in
New York City. Feeling that Leah had done her part on behalf
of Spiritualism, her husband requested that she step back from
center stage. Leah agreed, and lived a life of luxury,
happiness, and great activity, yet completely removed from public
service.
For a time, Margaretta served faithfully with Leah. The calling
to proclaim the truths of the phenomena soon necessitated their
traveling separately, with Mrs. Fox accompanying Margaretta. It
was in the October of 1851 that a new era began in Margaretta's
life. At one of her seances, in Philadelphia, she met and
shortly thereafter fell in love with Dr. Elisha Kane, the Arctic
explorer. In 1853, they became engaged and Margaretta promised
Dr. Kane she would never "rap" again.
Prior to Kane's departure for an Arctic exploration, he made
arrangements for Maggie to be schooled. She parted from her
family and stopped the public demonstrations. Saddened by Kane's
departure, Maggie became quiet and pale, but composed. However,
after settling in and beginning her schooling, she appeared happy for a
time.
The next three years brought one episode after another. Maggie
was alone and extremely unhappy. She missed Kane, her Mother, and
Kate, as well as the sittings and people clamoring for her
attention. She became despondent and very ill, developing brain
fever. Maggie was brought back to New York City to be nursed back
to health. Finally, in October of 1855, Kane returned.
Happiness was once more hers, only to be marred again. Kane's
family resented his affiliation with Margaretta, and Kane's family
eventually asked Maggie to sign a statement for public release stating
there was no engagement of marriage between them. Sadly,
she complied. The news story was carried, and for a time they
parted. They were briefly reunited prior to Kane's departure for
London and Havana on the 11th October 1856. On the 17th February
1857, as Maggie was preparing to depart for Havana to meet Kane, Kate
brought in a newspaper bearing the headline "Dr. Kane Dies in
Havana." Kane's death was nearly fatal to Maggie. She
suffered delirium and hysteria.
Her family showered her with kindness and all alienation was
dissolved. John Fox left his beloved Hydesville to come to his
daughter's side and was a great comfort to her. His compassion
and persuasion drew her back into the family. Sympathetically he
listened to Maggie's tale of grief. Her father accepted
everything, except her intention to embrace Catholicism. This
bothered him greatly, but he did not relate his feelings to her.
John, Margaret, and Kate stood by as sponsors when Maggie adopted
Catholicism.
Another of Maggie's desires was to live alone. Katie
visited frequently and remained close to her. Shortly after
moving, Maggie succumbed to the effects of alcohol. She struggled
through years of grief, alcohol, and emptiness, but eventually
the struggle was over and Maggie enjoyed periods of
accomplishment. She made some tours, visited England, held some
circles, and served those who came, but unfortunately she had become
unimportant to the public.
Over the years, Kate had been dedicated to service. Her closeness
and sympathy for Maggie also led her to alcoholism. Alcohol was a
release from her exhausting work as well as from the weight of
Maggie's burden. After several months in a sanitarium, she once
again began séances at the home of Dr. Taylor. These
are recorded in The Fox-Taylor Records, which note the remarkable
mediumship of Kate.
On the 7th October 1871, Kate left for London. She was welcomed
there and, as had been predicted, was a great success in England.
She traveled in circles of society that connected her to many important
people, including an attorney who was to become her husband. She
married Henry Jencken onthe 14th December 1872, and he
insisted that she maintain her private practice of
mediumship. Time did permit Kate to become the mother of
two sons, one a gifted baby boy, who at less than six months of
age manifested automatic writing in Greek. This spread the baby's
fame throughout Europe and America. Kate, Henry, and their
children led a full and happy life until Henry's passing in 1881.
Kate, who was totally dependent upon her husband, became distraught
when he died. It took four years to settle his affairs, and once
this was accomplished, she packed her belongings and brought her sons
back to New York. The next ten years of her life were spent
standing by Maggie, being a mother to her sons, holding private
séances, and struggling with bouts of alcoholism.
Through all of this, she maintained a reputation as an excellent
medium.
After a year of not communicating with anyone, she finally wrote
to her friend Sarah Taylor. Sarah responded to Kate, only to find
her worn out by the effects of alcohol, and at death's door. It
was just a few months later, on the 2nd July 1892 that Sarah
Taylor received a telegram from Kate's eldest son: "Mother is
dead."
THE PEDDLER AND THE COTTAGE
THE PEDDLER
If a person dies, shall they live again? Throughout recorded
history, humanity has sought to know the answer to this age-old
question. The question has been dramatically answered by the
spirit of a man who died a physical death at the hands of
another human being, yet continued to live in the spirit realm.
The record bears his message. The manifestation of this entity, a
peddler, has been documented for all time, and demonstrates the truth
of the continuity of life.
The Progressive Thinker printed an article by Ben F. Hayden in which he
claims a "special place" in the history of Spiritualism for
Charles B. Rosna. Hayden said,
His name should be nailed to the masthead of every paper
published in the interest of the cause he represents. I
would that his name and accomplished mission were engraved in golden
letters upon the title page of every booklet and pamphlet issued
for the Spiritual Press. It should adorn the walls of every
Spiritualist church, and be framed as a motto, and hung in every
Spiritualist home throughout the world.
Spiritualism indeed owes a wondrous debt of gratitude to this
man, Charles B. Rosna. Because of Rosna's communication
from the World of Spirit to the Fox family on the Earth Plane,
communication with the Spirit World over the years has brought light to
a darkened world. It has brought hope to those in despair, joy to
many a saddened heart, comfort to the mourner, removal of the
fear of death, and has given proof that what is destroyed in the
physical survives in spirit.
The message from Charles B. Rosna, a murdered peddler, demonstrated not
only the continuity of life but also a purpose in life
hereafter. He proved, beyond a doubt, the words of Jesus,
the Wayshower, who said, "Because I live, so shall ye live also!"
The peddler's pack, a replica of the Fox Cottage, and the Fox
family Bible are on display at the Museum at Lily Dale, New York.
The Hydesville Cottage was first constructed in 1815 by Dr. Hyde, the
ownership later passing to his son. Subsequent occupants were the
Bell, Weekman, and Fox families. In April of 1916, Mr.
Benjamin Franklin Bartlett of Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania,
had the cottage moved to Lily Dale, New York. The cottage, known
as the Fox Cottage, was located in the Dale, facing the Forest
Temple. Miss Flo Cottrell, a rapping medium, was placed in charge
of the cottage. On the 12th September 1955, the
cottage burned to the ground. Surrounded by a beautiful Memorial
Meditation Garden, a stone marker now stands in its place in memory of
the Fox sisters and the cottage.
At the original site of the cottage, at 1510 Hydesville Road, in
the hamlet of Hydesville, Wayne County, New York, an exact replica
of the cottage was constructed on the original stone foundation
through the efforts of Mr. John Drummond. A monument
donated by Mercy E. Cadwallader of Chicago, Illinois once stood
in the front yard. For ten years the monument was stored at the
Newark Granite Works prior to being moved to the Mississippi Valley
Spiritualist Spiritualist Camp in Clinton, Iowa in 1996 for temporary
storage. The monument states:
The Birthplace of
MODERN SPIRITUALISM
Upon this site stood the Hydesville Cottage
The home of the
Fox Sisters
Through whose mediumship communication
with the Spirit World was established
March 31, 1848
THERE IS NO DEATH
THERE ARE NO DEAD
Placed here by M. E. Cadwallader
December 5, 1927
The cottage again burned beyond repair in mid -1983. At the time,
Mr. Drummond, then age eighty-four, was determined to rebuild the
cottage, but he passed to spirit before completion.
At the 1990 Convention of the National Spiritualist Association
of Churches it was announced that the NSAC was in the process
of procuring the property on which the original Fox Family
Cottage stood. Plans called for placing on this property an
obelisk memorializing the Fox family and Charles B. Rosna. Once
the obelisk is placed on the property, the Fox Family Memorial, it was
suggested the property be given to the National Park Service for
preservation and protection. Through the efforts of the
Rev. Cosie Alien and the NSAC Board , finally in December, 1999,
through legal steps taken, the NSAC became the owners of the
Hydesville property.
