1. [http://www.spiritualismlink.com/t311-1849-
the-corinthian-hall-investigations-of-the-fox-
sisters]
1849 The Corinthian Hall Investigations of The
Fox Sisters
by Admin on Mon Feb 16, 2009 12:39 pm
I am preparing a write up of these early events, which resulted from the first public
demonstration of Mediumship in the Corinthian Hall Rochester NY State, using
contemporary reports by Capron and Barron and Samuel Britten both written in
1850. The Capron and Barron report is explicit about the fact that this was between
14th and 17th November 1849 and Newspaper reports support this. Unfortunately
Britten, talking in November 1850, refers to two years ago and then Leah Fox's
Missing Link was written and in this the 1848 date is quoted. This is another of the
major problems that Leah has created for us both in the information she gave
Robert Dale Owen in 1859 and in this book. Quite creatively in the Missing Link she
also adds a story of levitating tables of food to the events, very romantic, but which
has no foundation in any record of the time. You will find the romanticism of the
levitating dinner tables and another of Leah's probable creations Mr Splitfoot quoted
almost universally in all subsequent versions of the start of Spiritualism. It is rather
sad that such a clear error feeds into our own record of a philosophy based upon
truth.
Rochester library did not help, as I believe that around the August of 2008 they had
a display stating the first demonstration was in 1848. Unfortunately their 1941
almanac, produced by the Rochester Historical Society, showed that incorrect date,
indeed the same almanac has a further entry back in June which highlights the
error. This entry shows that Corinthian Hall was not opened until June 1849. A
subsequent document by the History Society in 1959 about famous people of
Rochester notes under an entry for Maggie Fox the correct date of November 1849.
Below I quote the two source documents involved. Later on I will put up the
complete contemporary reports given the importance of this event to Spiritualism.
ROCHESTER HISTORY
Edited by DEXTER PERKINS, City Historian and BLAKE McKELVEY, Assistant City
2. Historian
VOL. III
No.1
JANUARY, 1941
EARLY ALMANACS OF ROCHESTER
By BLAKE McKELVEY
Almanacs were already many centuries old when first they came to Rochester, and
yet so sensitive was their adaptability that they quickly took on the spirit and
character of the Genesee Country. Brought as they were at first by the several
streams of settlers who converged in this valley, the first local almanacs inherited
something of the character of many of their earlier American predecessors; but
within three decades following the appearance of its first almanac in 1820,
Rochester was to make some noteworthy contributions in this field.
ROCHESTER HISTORY, published quarterly by the Rochester Public Library, dis-
tributed free at the Library, by mail 25 cents per year. Address correspondence to
the City Historian, Rochester Public Library, 115 South Avenue, Rochester, N. Y.
The Historical ALMANAC of Rochester: 1941
Being the 124th year since the Incorporation of Rochesterville.
Containing many Historical Calculations by Harriett Julia Naylor, Philom., and Sober
Gleanings from our Predecessors. Published by the City Historian Rochester, New
York
June-Don't neglect the first crop of hay.
1 (1846) First press dispatch received by telegraph.
2 (1834) First city election.
3 (1919) First Community Chest Drive.
4 (1920) Section of Erie Canal through city formally abandoned.
5 (1817) First local Masonic Lodge formed.
6 (1920) First three boats arrive in new Barge Canal harbor.
7 (1825) Lafayette visits Rochester.
8 (1884) Semi-centennial celebration begins.
9 (1834) First mayor, Jonathan Child, elected by Common Council.
10 (1919) First chapter Gold Star Mothers of America formed here.
11. "If you are anticipating the pleasure of supping on good Indian
12. puddings by and by, you must look well to your cornfields."
13 (1910) Lase professional appearance here of Buffalo Bill.
14 (1902) Dedication of Spanish trophy gun in Highland Park.
3. 15 (1841) First Board of Education elected.
16 (1896) David Jayne Hill resigns as President of the University to
become Assistant Secretary of State.
17 (1935) Cornerstone of Rundel Memorial Building laid.
18 (1873) Susan B. Anthony convicted of illegal voting.
(note no19 never appeared)
20 (1850) Second Court House begun.
21 (1844) Concert by Ole Bull, Norwegian violinist.
22 (1933) City Normal School graduates last class.
23 (1925) City Manager Charter submitted to Common Council.
24 (1895) General strike of buttonhole makers.
25 (1934) City flag adopted by ordinance.
26 (1893) Spanish caravels here on way to Chicago Exposition.
27 (1896) Third Court House opened.
28 (1849) Corinthian Hall opened.
29 (1896) Twenty thousand attend bicycle festival at Driving Park.
30 (1852) First train from Rochester to Niagara Falls.
November-For the land's sake!
1 (1935) Earthquake shock felt here.
2 (1896) City sees its first moving picture.
3 (1925) City Manager Charter adopted by referendum.
4 (1841) Auburn and Rochester Railroad opened.
5 (1872) Susan B. Anthony and 14 other women vote in 8th Ward.
6 (1829) Sam Patch successfully jumps over Falls.
7 (1918) False armistice celebrated.
8 (1803) Mill lot purchased by Rochester, Fitzhugh, and Carroll.
9 (1825) First dramatic performance in Exchange Street "Circus."
10 "Prepare for winter, lest it come upon you like a thief in the night."
11 (1918) City Hail bell rings out armistice news at 4 A. M.
12 (1789) Supposed date of raising of Indian Allen's grist mill.
13 (1829) Sam Patch's fatal jump.
14 (1848) Fox sisters demonstrate "rappings" at Corinthian Hall
15 (1935) Alan Valentme inscalIed as presIdent of Umverslty.
16 (1891) Relay bicycle race from Rochester to Buffalo.
17 (1887) Compulsory education discussed at meeting here.
18 (1925) Brick Church celebrates centennial.
19 (1812) Abelard Reynolds appointed first postmaster.
20 (1811) First lot in 100.Jcre tract sold to Enos Stone for $50.
4. 21 (1886) Telephone subscribers refuse to use phones in protest
against increased rates.
22 (1921) Subway construction authorized by Council.
23 (1885) Mechanics Institute opened.
24 (1848) Whigs celebrate victory with great "illumination."
25 (1940) Fire destroys three buildings on Main Street Bridge.
26 (1868) Demonstration of plowing by steam.
27 (1901) Annual Thanksgiving dinner for newsboys and bootblacks.
28 (1908) Germans unveil statue of Schiller in Anderson Park.
29 (1894) Rochester beats Hobart in Thanksgiving Day game here.
30 (1866) First annual "donation" at City Hospital.
ROCHESTER HISTORY, Edited by BLAKE McKELVEY, City Historian
VOL. XXI, JULY, 1959, No.3
Some Former Rochesterians of National Distinction
By MERYL FRANK and BLAKE McKELVEY
A recent request for a list of Rochester women whose careers merit recognition in a
projected Biographical Dictionary of American Women prompts a fresh review of the
field. At least a dozen women and over one hundred men, who were identified more
or less closely with this city, appear in the Dictionary of American Biography or in
the National Cyclopedia of American Biography. Who's Who in America included 38
from Rochester in its first issue in 1899-1900 and increased that figure to 120 by
1934-1935 and to 152 in 1952. Most of the last are still with us, and some of the
others were so briefly resident in the city that it is scarcely appropriate to claim
them as Rochesterians. But in this State Year of History it may prove of interest to
assemble an alphabetical list of former residents who did major work here or who
acquired their distinctive character and inspiration in this city.
We will not presume to include all of those born in Rochester, nor those educated in
its institutions, unless their ties to the city had a longer duration. Thus we exclude
Rochesterborn Henry H. Haight who left with his parents at an early age and
eventually became Governor of California. We can only mention in passing Carl E.
Akeley, William T. Hornaday
ROCHESTER HIS'fORY, published quarterly by the Rochester Public Library, dis-
tributed free at the Library, by mail 25 cents per year. Address correspondence to
the City Historian, Rochester Public Library, 115 South Avenue, Rochester 4, N. Y.
"Eastman, George (1854-1932). Inventor-industrialist, George Eastman pioneered
in the development of photographic film and cameras. Born in Waterville, N. Y., he
came to Rochester as a lad with his parents and attended its public schools. Forced
5. by the death of his father to seek a job, he acquired a keen appreciation of the
value of money and quickly saw the commercial possibilities in his photographic
hobby. His success in perfecting a practicable "dry plate" led to patents on its for-
mula, on a coating machine, on a Kodak and progressively on a flexible film for still
and motion and color pictures. The vigorous leadership he gave to the development
of his company prepared him for similar service in educational and other com-
munity fields. His philanthropy began with the support of schools of practical
technology and expanded rapidly after 1910 to include hospitals and dental clinics,
musical instruction and performance, and finally all the liberal and fine arts of a
rounded university. Always interested in efficiency, he helped to establish bureaus
and research centers to promote high civic and economic standards.
"Fox, Margaret (1833-1893). The Fox sisters, Margaret and Kate, became the
founders of modern spiritualism. Born in Canada the girls heard their strange
rappings in Hydesville, N. Y. An elder sister, Leah, brought Kate to her home in
Rochester where the demand for a public demonstration led to a series of crowded
sessions in Corinthian Hall in November 1849 which baffled local critics. The
fame of the "Rochester Rappings" spread, and Leah took the girls to New York,
where they began seances. Although Margaret confessed forty years later to the
trickery by which the rappings were obtained, she soon retracted her confession.
Most of her followers rejected any material explanation and made the supposed
contact with the spirits of deceased friends the basis for the development of
modern spiritualism. [See Marian B. Pond, Time is Kind (1947)•]
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6. Re: 1849 The Corinthian Hall Investigations
of The Fox Sisters
by Admin on Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:14
pm
Here is the extract from Capron & Barrons 1850 Booklet
Capron & Barrron 1850 Investigation Corinthian Hall
CHAPTER VI.
THE PUBLIC INVESTIGATION AT CORINTHIAN HALL IN THE CITY Of
ROCHESTER
.
BEFORE speaking of the strange phenomenon, thought by some to be much
stranger than the "rapping" or the intelligence manifested through the
medium; we give an account of the public investigations which were gone
into in the city of Rochester in the month of November, 1849.
The first intimation that was received in regard to those investigations came
from these sounds, through the use of the alphabet. Several persons were
in company, trying, as usual, to gain some information in regard to the law
which governs this strange communication. While they were thus
investigating, the following was spelled out by the use of the alphabet, it
being part of the message or directions for those present to follow. "You all
have a duty to perform. We want you to make this matter more public." As
this announcement was altogether unexpected, the persons began to
discuss the difficulties, and remarked that the opposition and ridicule, that
would be heaped upon anyone who should attempt to lecture on this
subject, would be almost overwhelming. The answer to this was, "That will
be so much the better - your triumph will be the greater."
After receiving the most positive assurances from this invisible
communicator, that the sounds should be heard in all parts of the Hall in
response to the person who should lecture - that it was best, in order that
slanders might be silenced, and the truth established, to go
p46 .
forward in the matter - the persons who were designated concluded to
make the attempt. It was also intimated, from the same source, that this
7. would prepare the way for a more general development of spiritual
communication, which would take place at no distant day.
Probably the best idea of the proceedings at Rochester can be conveyed to
the reader by the following brief statement drawn up and published directly
after the investigations took place, in the New York Weekly Tribune of Dec.
8th, 1849.
"Some two weeks since, we were in company with some persons who were
getting communications from this invisible communicator when a message
was spelled out to us to the Import that the matter should be made more
public- that the time had arrived for the people to investigate the whole
affair - that it was a thing which will ultimately become known to all men,
and that we should immediately take measures to have it investigated. The
directions were then minutely given by these spirits, as they purport to be,
and which we are willing to believe are, until we have as much proof to the
contrary as it required to bring us to that conclusion. These directions will
appear in the following history, as they were fully and strictly followed. The
great object was to start investigation and clear those who had been
hearing of it for the last two years from the imputation of fraud and
deception.
Accordingly on the evening of November 14, a lecture was delivered in
Corinthian Hall in the City of Rochester, and a full history of the rise and
progress of these manifestations given. During the relation of these facts
the sounds were distinctly heard by the persons in the Hall.
After the lecture, a Committee was chosen by the audience, composed of
the following persons--A. J. COMBS, DANIEL MARSH, NATHANIEL CLARK,
ESQ., A. JUDSON AND EDWIN JONES.
On the following evening the Committee reported in substance, as follows:
That 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 - that the sound on the floor near where the
two ladies stood was heard as distinctly as at 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
8. moved, there was a distinct jar on the floor. On the pavement and on the
ground the same sound was heard:-a kind of double rap, as a stroke and a
rebound, were distinguishable. When the ladies were separated at a
distance no sound was heard; but when a third person was interposed be-
tween them the sounds were heard. The ladies seemed to give every
opportunity to the Committee to investigate the cause fully, and would
submit to a thorough investigation by a committee of ladies if desired. They
all agreed that the sounds were heard, but they entirely failed to discover
any means by which it could be done.
p47
After this report and some discussion on the subject, the audience selected
another Committee composed of the following persons-Doctor H. H
LANGWORTHY, Hon. FREDERICK WHITTLESEY, D. C. Mc CALLUM, WILLIAM
FISHER, of Rochester, and Hon. A. P. HASCALL, of Le Roy. At the next
lecture this Committee reported that they went into the investigation at the
office of Chancellor Whittlesey, and they heard the sound on the floor. on
the wall, and door,- that the ladies were placed in different positions and,
like the other Committee, they were wholly unable to tell from what the
sound proceeded or how it was made, that Dr. Langworthy made
observations with a stethoscope to ascertain whether there was any
movement with the lungs, and found not the least difference when the
sounds were 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.
This Committee was composed of Dr. E. P. LANGWORTHY, Dr. J. GATES,
Wm. FITZHUGH, Esq., W. L. BURTIS, and L. KENYON. This committee met
at the rooms of Dr. Gates at the Rochester House, and appointed a
committee of Ladies who took the young women into a room, disrobed
them and examined their persons and clothing to be sure there was no
fixtures about them that could produce the sounds. When satisfied on this
point the Committee of Ladies tried some other experiments, and gave the
young ladies the following certificate: “When they were standing on pillows
with a handkerchief tied around the bottom of their dresses, tight to the
ankles we all heard the rapping on the wall and floor distinctly.”
(Signed.) :MRS. STONE, MRS. J. GATES,
MISS M. P. LAWRENCE.
In the evening the Committee, through their Chairman, Dr. Langworthy,
made a very full report of their examinations during the day. They reported
9. they excluded all friends of the two ladies from the committee room and
had the examination only in presence of the Committee of Gentlemen, and
Ladies chosen by them. Notwithstanding all this precaution, these sounds
were heard when the ladies stood on large feather pillows, without shoes,
and in other various positions, both on the floor and on the wall, - that a
number of questions were asked which, when answered, were generally
correct. Each member of the Committee reported separately agreeing with
and corroborating the first statements.
Thus, by three days of the strictest scrutiny, by means of intelligence,
candor and science, were the persons in whose presence these sounds are
heard, acquitted of all fraud.
On Friday evening, after the lecture, three of the Committee, viz: Hon. A. P.
HASCALL, D. C. MCCALLUM, and WILLIAM FISHER, repaired to the house of
a citizen and pursued their investigations still farther. There were nearly a
score of persons present. The members of the Committee wrote many
questions on paper, which no person present knew the purport of, and they
were answered correctly. At times they would ask mentally and would
receive the answers with equal correctness and they were fully satisfied
that there was something present manifesting intelligence beyond the
persons visible. .
One of the Committees tried the experiment of standing the ladies on glass
and failed to get any sounds; but the same was subsequently tried in
presence of a large number of persons, and the sounds were as loud and
distinct as before, on the floor as usual.
Such are the facts so far as public proceedings are concerned, which is
P48
but a small part of these strange occurrences with the Committee's report
greatly condensed.
Thus the matter stands at present, and whether it is a remarkable
phenomenon which will pass away with the present generation, or with the
persons who seem now to be the medium of this extraordinary
communication; or whether it be the commencement of a new era of
spiritual influx into the world; it is something worthy of the attention of
men of candor and philosophy.
E. W. CAPRON, Auburn. GEORGE WILLETS, Rochester,"
Rochester, Nov. 22, 1849.
As one of us was present and acquainted with all the circumstances we will
make some further statements in regard to the events that transpired
during the week of the investigation.
10. Each of the committee, after the report of their chairman; were called upon
to make a report individually and what is unusual where any doubtful
matter is under consideration, every individual agreed to all that is
published in the above extract.
Some individuals of the committee made more minute reports of questions
and answers and other circumstances that came under their observation
during these examinations.
One member of the first committee stated that he asked the question.
"Who is it that wishes to communicate with me" The answer was, "your wife
will talk." He evaded the answer, and gave the persons present to
understand that he never had a wife. To use his own expression when he
gave his public report, he "brow beat it down." He would not admit there
was any truth in it until he reported in the evening - then he stated it
correctly - he had lost his wife sometime before.
The committee were composed, of men who, on any other subject, would
be trusted to investigate where life or property were at stake. We doubt if
any citizen of Monroe county would refuse to submit to the justness of his
cause even were he tried for life or limb, to such men as those who
composed the committees during the three days they were engaged in
trying every mode to ferret out the cause of these sounds, and yet many
p49
persons persist in denouncing those who even go to hear for themselves as
fools or knaves! We insist upon it, that those who were present at
Corinthian Hall, and had a voice in the appointment of those committees,
selected from the best and most reliable men of the city of Rochester,
should of all men be the last to cry humbug or collusion. They must be
aware that in doing this they impeach their committees, and indirectly
accuse them of being ignoramuses and incapable of impartial investigation,
or of being accessory to one of the most successful, widespread and long
continued impositions ever palmed off on this or any other community.
When we take into consideration the facts that this matter has now been
spreading for two years - that every means have been tried in private
circles, and committees appointed by public meetings - that all have failed
to discover any thing like collusion - we may safely assert that in regard to
the sounds merely -- the following facts are established beyond dispute,
viz: That the sounds are heard in various places and at various times - that
those sounds are not made by, or under the control of any person or
persons, although manifested in the presence of particular persons; and
that they evince a remarkable degree of intelligence. These facts, among
11. those who have carefully investigated are no longer disputed.