Updates!

Although I've been pretty neglectful of updating this blog I haven't stopped my research! The past two years I've been focusing on some big projects as well as some non-Rochester Spiritualist related projects. 

1. A huge project I've been working on for actually the last couple of years has been the digitization and preservation of some very rare films that record some interviews and footage of Spiritualists in Rochester. Most particularly, Rev. Marion Newbie from the Church of Divine Inspiration. I've been working on this with the Rochester Spiritualist Society, as well as some other wonderful individuals and organizations, and hopefully I'll be able to write more about that as well as get some of the archived film out there within the coming year.

2. I've documented some of my Spiritualist Books on my personal Instagram but I've decided that some of the books should be posted on here as well, as several of them were either authored by Spiritualists from Rochester, or about Spiritualists from Rochester. I've also come across a few texts that are in the public domain but are not easily available, and I think one of my first projects for the upcoming year will be to actually post the full text of some of those documents up here.

3. There are a few Spiritualist books that I have in my collection that are either out of print or are unpublished manuscripts, I've been slowly working on looking into getting some of these either printed or published both to help preserve them but also just because the texts are extremely interesting and still useful for those who are interested in Spiritualism. I know this is a bit vague, but I will comment on this more with time so stay tuned. 

4. I actually need to work on updating and organizing some of my old posts on here. I wrote a few of them when I had just started this project and had much more limited access to archives than I do at the moment. I had begun editing a few of them in the past but hopefully will get most of the older posts updated and organized better. 

So for those who continue to read this blog thank you so much! There will be more to come, thank you for reading! 

Divine Faith Spiritualist Church

Divine Faith Spiritualist Church was a Spiritualist Church in Rochester that operated for about 3 years during the 1940s. The Church was founded by Rev. James McNiell, who was assisted by Rev. Frances Adam of Divine Inspiration. Divine Faith Spiritualist Church was chartered with the General Assembly of Spiritualists. 

Rev. James McNiell served in various local Spiritualist Churches since at least the 1930s. He was a Veteran of WWI, serving in the Army, and was an immigrant to the United States from Scotland. In addition to being a Spiritualist minister he was a member of the maintenance staff of Iola Sanitorium for 27 years. He passed away at age 70 in 1958. 

Part of the reason for Divine Faith only being active for three years was that Rev. James moved from Rochester to Buffalo, where he served as Pastor of Sunflower Spiritualist Church.

Rev. Delvon Herrick: Trumpet Medium & Spiritualist Missionary

Rev. Delvon Herrick was born in Jamestown New York, August 24 1859. His mother was a practicing Spiritualist, and encouraged his spiritual development. At age 17 Herrick began to experience Trance Mediumship, and also began to practice automatic writing. Eventually developing the ability to manifest several forms of physical mediumship, particularly Trumpet Mediumship, which he became widely known for.

At the age of 27, Herrick  delivered his first public lecture in Jackson, Michigan and from there began a life time of touring churches, camps, and conventions demonstrating mediumship and preaching the message of Spiritualism. 

Although born in New York State, Rev. Herrick was a prominent member of the Spiritualist community in Ohio. He served as one of the founding members of the Ohio State Spiritualist Association which was founded in 1897, and also as a trustee of Brady Spiritualist Camp in Ohio. 

In 1907 Rev Herrick oversaw the construction of the first Spiritualist Church in Ohio, known as the Ashtabula Spiritualist Temple. 

An article from the Sunflower states, 

"The first Spiritualist Temple of Ashtabula, which has been in course of construction during the past summer at the corner of Main and Kinsman streets, was formerly dedicated on Sunday and the local society, which has always been at a disadvantage through lack of a meeting place of its own, is proud in the possession of the new house of worship, and especially so because of the fact that it is the first church ever built in the state of Ohio especially for use of Spiritualists." "Rev. D. A. Herrick conducted the formal christening ceremony and named the new edifice."

In 1913 Rev. Herrick was called to be Pastor of Plymouth Spiritualist Church in Rochester, New York. He succeeded the Rev. Helen Russegue, who was Pastor for one year after Rev. Benjamin Austin stepped down from the pulpit to serve in California. 

It was under Rev. Herrick that the name of Plymouth Spiritualist Church was legally changed to Plymouth Spiritualist Church. Until 1914 the Church's legal name was officially the First Spiritual Church of Rochester, however, it was always referred to unofficially as "Plymouth Church" or "Plymouth Spiritualist Church". 

The name was legally changed and the Church was formally chartered to the General Assembly of Spiritualists, then the New York State Auxiliary to the National Spiritualist Association. It remained chartered with the General Assembly until the 1930s when the General Assembly of Spiritualists disassociated with the National Spiritualist Association.

It was also during this time Rev. Herrick had the special opportunity to attend a séance with Mrs. Emily French, one of Rochester's greatest Spiritualist Mediums and one of the best Physical Mediums in the history of the Spiritualist Movement. 

Similar to his predecessor Rev. Herrick was called to California where he served for years as a board member and President of the California State Spiritualist Association. 

Rev. Herrick spent the rest of his life traveling throughout the state of California, giving lectures in Spiritualist Churches and demonstrations of Mediumship. He was a regular visitor of Harmony Grove Spiritualist Association where he offered classes, lectures, and demonstrations of Mediumship. 

He passed into Spirit on January 14, 1938 after a lifetime of service. 

Clarissa Street Spiritualist Church: A Center of African American Spiritualism

One of the earliest African-American neighborhoods in Rochester, New York was located on High Street later known as Clarissa Street.  

In 1830 Rev. Thomas James, who found sanctuary in Rochester after escaping from slavery founded the Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, then located on Favor Street (now on Clarissa Street). 

This Church was an early center for the Underground Railroad, and was also where Frederick Douglass first edited and printed his abolitionist Newspaper, The North Star, in the church basement. In the 1920s Clarissa Street was once known as Rochester's Broadway, a popular neighborhood that became famous for it's Jazz Music and various Clubs. 

Clarissa Street Spiritualist Church actually seems to refer to two different congregations: Second Spiritualist Alliance Church and Good Will Spiritualist Church. Both congregations are referred to as Clarissa Street Spiritualist Church and it seems fairly likely that these different names all refer to the same congregation, albeit at different times. 

The earliest listing for the Clarissa Street Spiritualist Church was in 1929, which first met as the Second Spiritualist Alliance Church. The Second Spiritualist Alliance Church was listed together with the First Spiritualist Alliance Church, however Second Alliance was specifically advertised as "Colored." Both groups were lead by a woman named Rev. Ina Woodward and the congregation met at the Gibson Hotel on Clarissa Street. 

In 1937 Good Will Spiritualist Church was listed in the Democrat and Chronical to have chartered with the National Colored Spiritualist Association of Churches. The Church was mentioned to not have a Pastor at the time, but was supervised by a Thomas Jackson and a Mrs. Martha Gee conducting services. 

There is unfortunately very little information recorded about these individuals, however we can see from church listings in newspapers that most were active within the Rochester Spiritualist community, visiting and serving in various churches and congregations. 

It seems likely that the Clarissa Street Spiritualist Church congregation began during the first wave of segregation of Spiritualist Churches in the 1920s (Second Spiritualist Alliance) and was most likely re-chartered as Good Will Spiritualist Church due to the second segregationist policy that was adopted by the National Spiritualist Association in the 1930s.

Following this line of thought, the lack of documentation into the 1930s is most likely due to the fact that the General Assembly of Spiritualists broke from the National Spiritualist Association over the subject of segregation, and the Clarissa Street Spiritualist congregation most likely joined those Churches that were already well established and open and affirming of African Americans. 

Although I couldn't find very much information about the Spiritualist congregation at Clarissa Street, I did manage to find some of the sermons that were given on Sunday Services: "Class Fellowship", "From Whence Cometh Thou", "Is Spiritualism A Religion?", "Light", "Who Was The First Mother?" (Mothers Day Service).

William Cooper Nell

William Cooper Nell was an African-American abolitionist, editor, author, and civil servant. He was also one of the first individuals to embrace the Spiritualist Movement 

William Cooper Nell born in 1816 in Boston, MA. He spent virtually all his life working tirelessly for social justice and public reform, specifically in the realm of Education. A major achievement of his a Reform leader was petitioning the state of Massachusetts to end racial segregation in Boston's schools, which thanks to much effort occurred in 1855. 

Nell was instrumental in helping found the New England Freedom Association and later the Committee of Vigilance, to aid refugee slaves. The Committee of Vigilance supported resistance to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which had increased penalties against even citizens in free states who aided refugees fleeing from slavery. 

William Cooper Nell wrote some of the first works of African-American History. His most notable work was The Colored Patriots of the American Revolution. In writing this work he hoped to not only record the acts of black soldiers and citizens for history, but also to show that peoples of African descent were instrumental in the founding of the American Republic, and deserving of equal rights and freedoms. 

From 1847 to 1851 Nell lived in Rochester, New York working with Frederick Douglass as publisher to The North Star, Frederick Douglass's famous abolitionist newspaper. Though the two were initially close, he and Douglass would eventually have a falling out over disagreements regarding social and political opinions. 

During his stay in Rochester, Nell actually lived with Amy and Isaac Post in their home on Sophia Street, the de facto center of Spiritualism in Rochester at the time. Nell was introduced to the Fox Sisters, and would sit with the “Rochester Circle” for seances. This was the earliest Spiritualist home circle in Rochester. His active participation in the Rochester Circle makes Nell one of the earliest believers in Spiritualism. 

Although his stay in Rochester was brief, Nell kept a continuing correspondence with the Posts over the years, attended seances held by Spiritualist Societies in Boston, and held a belief in Spiritualism for the rest of his life. Years later he would write to Amy Post reflecting on how far the Spiritualist movement had come stating: “Who would think so long a time had elapsed since my first acquaintance with the Rochester knockings at 36 Sophia Street - now its believers are counted by millions”

Dr. Charles Frederick Farlin

Charles Frederick Farlin was born in Palmyra, Michigan; he studied medicine at the North Western Institute in Toledo, Ohio for two years, and eventually moved to Jackson, Michigan. While in Jackson Dr. Farlin began to deliver lectures on Freethought and Spiritualism.

Dr. Farlin was one of the first members of the early Rochester Spiritualist Society formed by Amy Post and other early Rochester Spiritualists. Dr. Farlin was the primary lecturer for the group, giving free lectures on Sundays which were advertised in the Democrat and Chronicle.

In 1883 Jan 29 the Democrat and Chronicle published a lecture given by Dr. Farlin at the Spiritualist Meeting on Sophia Street titled, "Address by Dr. Farlin on the Character of the Deist Patriot and Philosopher, on the Occasion of His One Hundred and Forty Sixth Birthday - A Tribute to His Patriotism and Genius - Paine as an Inventor."

Dr. Farlin was a close friend of the Post family. He was a regular visitor to the Posts' pharmacy that was located on exchange street; he spent most of his summers in Sea Breeze, and he and Jacob Post put in money together to have a summer cottage their families could enjoy by the Lake. 

Dr. Farlin was part of a highly public and somewhat scandalous court case dealing with the legality of a divorce and marriage between himself and an ex wife. While the matter was settled with a judge, the case was highly publicized in Rochester newspapers.

Dr. Farlin acted as a facilitator to a seance by visiting medium Mrs. C. M. Sawyer visiting from Washington. Mrs. Sawyer was a physical medium who was said to have produced phenomena such as materializations and direct voice phenomena while she was secured in a cabinet. Mrs. Sawyer welcomed reporters to observe the seance, and the writer recording the article had nothing positive or negative to report, and wrote, ""the performance last evening was certainly very curious to say the least.""

Dr. Farlin passed away in August 1896. While swimming in the Lake he suffered a stroke and was brought ashore by his friends and passed away, he had been a resident of Rochester for 14 years

Rochester H. Rogers

Rochester H. Rogers was the great grandson of Colonel Nathaniel Rochester, who the city of Rochester, New York is named after. In 1950 he published a small book titled Nathaniel, named after his son (named after his ancestor) who had passed away a few years before. The book is a testimony to his faith in Spiritualism, and his hope that his experiences might bring comfort to others. 

He wrote in the foreword to the book, "This little volume, written by a busy man for busy men, makes no claim to scientific infallibility. It is simply an honest statement of facts, as my wife an I have seen them, aided by many, too numerous to mention, who, like ourselves, have sought and found a factual foundation for the essentials in the Faith of our Fathers. If it replaces despondency with hope in any single home, it will serve its purpose."

A few weeks after his son Nathaniel passed away unexpectedly from an unnamed illness in 1945, the famous medium and a leader of the General Assembly of Spiritualist Churches, Arthur Ford, came to visit several local Spiritualist Churches in Rochester. 

Rogers wrote that his wife attended a service lead by Ford at the Open Door Spiritualist Church at the Hotel Seneca where she received several evidential messages from their son Nathaniel through Arthur Ford. A few days later Rogers attended with his wife, and the  Rev. Dorothy Maxwell delivered several detailed evidential messages to the couple from their son. These messages marked a turning point for Rogers and he began to earnestly study Spiritualism, and reexamine his personal faith in a new light.  

Rodgers mused philosophically in the book that although he and his wife still continued to attend services at the Episcopal Church they were raised with, their faith was only strengthened by their association with Spiritualism.

With a new understanding of faith in Spirit, Rogers and his wife began to regularly attended seances at the Anderson Park Spiritualist Mission, and other private Spiritualist Circles in Rochester. They also set out to travel during the summer months regularly visiting several Spiritualist Camps including Lily Dale, New York, Freeville, New York, Chesterfield, Indiana, and Silver Belle, Pennsylvania. While at the Spiritualist Camps Rogers witnessed several different forms of mediumship, including many forms of physical phenomena such as Trumpet Mediumship, Slate Writing, and even Materialization.   

He ends his short work comparing the spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible with the spiritual phenomena of Spiritualism. Reassuring readers that Doubt and Skepticism are to be expected when learning about Spiritualism for the first time, pointing out that the Apostle Thomas "like most of us, had to hear, see, or feel to believe," and that the reader will one day "find your family and friends waiting to meet you - young, vibrant, and humorous as ever." 

George & Zaida Kates

George Kates was born in Wilmington Delaware on July 6, 1845. His parents were Methodist until he was about ten years old. His Father became interested in Spiritualism, and his parents soon embraced Spiritualism. Allowing Kates to investigate the writings and phenomena of Spiritualism. In 1863 on his eighteenth birthday he enlisted in the Union Army of the Civil War in ranks, and then served in the commissary department until the end of the war. 

In 1865 he moved to Cincinnati Ohio and served as secretary of a local Spiritualist Society, serving as an editor for a Lyceum Newspaper. He also wrote for the Banner of Light, and for local newspapers.

Zaida Brown (Kates) was born in Philadelphia  to a Methodist family. She frequently experienced spiritual phenomena as a child, specifically clairvoyance, but did not understand the nature of her gifts. At age 15 she began to develop her mediumship and study Spiritualism, better understanding her gifts. She began to hold seances in her home among her circle of friends, making her well known among her community as a medium.

In 1882 her parents moved to Decatur Georgia. Her parents were very supportive of her gifts and embraced Spiritualism, her mother also being a trance medium. At their farm home n, people went to her her give trance lectures through her guides on the philosophy of Spiritualism.

She first appeared publicly at a Public Hall in Atlanta Georgia on March 31 1883. During the same year she moved with her parents to Atlanta where their home served as a center for the local Spiritualist community. 

In 1887 George Kates and Zaida Brown were married at Lookout Mountain Spiritualist Camp. The couple were married by Rev. Dr. Samuel Watson, President of the Southern Spiritualist Association.

The couple acted as Spiritualist missionaries, traveling to different Spiritualist Camps and communities across the country, from New England to California, throughout the South, and other states such as Kansas and Colorado. 

The couple were very vocal supporters of various causes, George Kates wrote several editorials against Capital Punishment, advocating Prison Reform and speaking against the culture of the day that he felt that promoted violence. Zaida was an advocate for public Temperance, speaking out against the corrupting influences of alcohol but also promoting a need for better public access to clean water and healthcare. 

In 1896 plans were taken by Rochester Spiritualists towards creating a Spiritualist Church. George and Zaida Kates were requested by the Rochester Spiritualist community to assist in the project. In 1897 George Kates became one of the founding members of the First Spiritual Church, chartered with the National Spiritualist Association as a lay society. 

Kates and Zaida held services in an Odd Fellows Hall (Temple) on North Clinton, with George delivering lectures and Zaida giving demonstrations of Mediumship as well as. Zaida also organized a Children's Lyceum, and acted as the music director. 

For several years George and Zaida Kates were responsible for holding anniversary celebrations of Spiritualism in Rochester each March, with notable guests such a Peebles, Scott, Wallis. These were held in Corinthian Hall. 

In 1905 Zaida and George moved to Washington, DC, and served the congregation of the First Spiritualist Church of Washington DC. Eventually starting their own congregation, Unity Spiritualist Church. Zaida also earned her credentials as a chiropractor, and opened her own practice as Dr. Zaida Brown Kates. 

In 1911 Zaida worked to produce a thorough revision of the Spiritualist Hymnal; editing older versions and compiling new songs into a format and version that is the foundation for the current hymnal used in most Spiritualist Churches today. 

In 1916 George published his masterpiece work titled The Philosophy of Spiritualism, which remains one of the most concise and well developed pieces of Spiritualist philosophy. Touching on all the main principles of Spiritualism, the text remains an important source for understanding Spiritualism as a religion and philosophy. 

After years of public ministry George passed away, and Zaida continued to serve as a Spiritualist Minister, Medium, and Healer for another two decades. In 1927 Zaida stepped down as minister of Unity Spiritualist Church, and continued to hold Message Circles every Tuesday evening in her home, and also gave private consultations as a Medium. She passed away in 1930 after a lifetime of dedicating her life to teaching Spiritualism and helping others.

Psychic Friends: Rochester's Spiritualist Readers

Although much of this blog discusses individuals and organizations associated with Spiritualist Churches, I think it's important to point out that most Spiritualists would actually fall under the category of "popular Spiritualism" or "folk Spiritualism." Those who combine their Spiritualist practices with various aspects of local spirituality and folklore.

You are probably more likely to meet a freelancing Spiritualist in your comings and goings than you are to meet a member of a Spiritualist Church, and these independent readers have existed from the very beginning of the Spiritualist movement. 

These are some of the local independent Spiritualist readers & healers from the 1890s to the early 1900s that I found during my research of old archives and Rochester newspapers. 

Madam Victoria. can read your future like an open book. Success where others fail. 

Madam Vesta. I can bring back any departed friend if you will bring a photo of the party. ladies only. 

Mrs. Dr. Moss. The best reader that ever visited Rochester; come and be convinced. 

Madam LeNeuse. Called "Witch of Endor," descendent of Mademoiselle Lenormad, reads cards like an open book to ladies only; come and judge. 

Madam Victor. world renowned palmist, tells past, present, future, joys and sorrows. 

Madam Stevens. Clairvoyant. tells where lost and stolen articles, property, papers, and money. 

Professor Robertson. Reads your life by palmistry, phrenology, astrology, and clairvoyance. 

Claytona. 12 year old trance medium, will talk to you and your departed friends together. 

Madam Lamont. Gifted and reliable life reader, scientifically reveals the future, recalls the past, honestly and accurately, whether it be sunshine or sorrow. Call and be advised on all matters of business, speculations, investments, love, law, or travels. Satisfaction guaranteed. 

Professor LaDelta. Will read your life clairvoyantly from birth to death, and tell you what you want to know, your future laid bare, good or bad, locates lost treasures, absent friends, advice on business, marriage, love, sickness, death, without asking questions. 

Dr. Percy Allen. Astrologer, Palmist, and Trance Medium. 

Madam Vandevere. Palmist & Mind Reader 

Alma. reveals the past, present, future. Points on Astrology free. 

Madam Montrose. Clairvoyant, reads your life from cradle to grave. 

Mrs. Bingham. Medium and Healer. Consultations afternoon daily.  

Mrs. Hicks. Celebrated Astro-Palmist. 

Madam M. E. Cox. Gives magnetic treatments. 

Madam Philipson. Clairvoyant & Magnetic Healer. 

Madame DeLano. Clairvoyant. Tells Past, Present, and Future. 

Madame Roberts. Celebrated life Reader & Magnetic Healer. 

Professor Gefford. Astrologist, Magnetic Healer, & Clairvoyant.

Sir Oliver Lodge Visits Rochester

Sir Oliver Lodge was one of the most brilliant scientists of his day; his groundbreaking research in the subject of of radio waves and electromagnetism made him one of the most respected British scientists and well known both in England and the United States. He was also a devoted Spiritualist, and friend of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. 

Lodge's initial interest in Spiritualism came from his research into science; after years of researching electromagnetism he became convinced that psychic and spiritual phenomena could exist beyond the range of the average human senses. 

He served as President of the Society for Psychical Research for several years. In 1915 Lodge's son Raymond was killed in action in WWI. Lodge began to attend regular seances and kept detailed records and transcriptions of the messages that were given from his son Raymond. These were published by Lodge in his most famous book, Raymond, or Life and Death. The book contained descriptions of the afterlife in the spirit world, as well as pieces of evidential mediumship collected through Lodge's research. 

Lodge's good friend, Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle wrote that with the event of WWI there was an immense increase in the interest of Spiritualism due to the massive loss of lives brought on by the war, and that several works of Spiritualist literature were produced in the aftermath to bring solace and comfort to those who had lost family members.  He commented that "The greatest of these books is "Raymond." Sir Oliver Lodge is so famous a scientist and so profound a thinker that his brave and frank avowal produced a great impression upon the public." 

The book was a major success and was incredibly popular among Spiritualists, however it was met with some criticism as some felt that the descriptions of the spirit world were too simplistic and not spiritual enough, such as a remark delivered by the spirit of Raymond who stated that he and other soldiers that had passed into spirit were enjoying whiskey and cigars in the spirit world. 

Sir Oliver Lodge went on a lecture tour of the United States and arrived in Rochester March 11, 1920. He arrived early in the morning from Cleveland, OH. Lodge gave a lecture at the Convention Hall (now the Geva Theatre) in the afternoon, giving a lecture on "The Evidence for Survival." After returning to England, Lodge joined Doyle in assisting Rochester Spiritualists to fund and plan for the monument to Spiritualism to be erected in 1927. 

He and his wife retired to Normanton Manor in South West England not far from Stonehenge. He passed away August 22, 1940 at age 89 and was laid to rest in the parish Church of St. Michael.

Rev. Robert Macdonald

Rev. Robert Macdonald was born in Glasgow, Scotland. A Spiritualist at an early age, he served in the Scottish Spiritualist Churches from age 17. Later on he immigrated to the United States and was ordained as a Spiritualist Minister in 1927. He served as Pastor of the Progressive Spiritualist Church of Niagara Falls for 11 years. 

In 1934 Rev. Robert became the Pastor of Plymouth Spiritualist Church after Rev. Raymond Burns stepped down. Rev. Robert's time at Plymouth was marked with noted stability and also with an excellent team of platform workers who would go on to become Church leaders in their own right such as Bertha Krech, Laura Ellsworth, and Eleanor Gutzmer. 

In 1941 Rev. Robert was voted to be a trustee of the National Spiritualist Association of Churches, and was elected as Vice-President in 1944. As Rev. Robert assumed more responsibilities within the NSAC Plymouth's pastoral team began to assume more roles within the Church, by 1945 most services were being lead by Bertha Krech. 

By 1947 Rev. Robert had officially left as Pastor of Plymouth to devote more time to his role with the National Association; his role as Pastor was temporarily filled by Rev. Justin Titus returning as a guest Pastor to Plymouth from 1947 to about 1949. After Rev. Titus stepped down this lead to a period of time were Plymouth Church was largely run by a Pastoral team and a series of temporary and guest Pastors. This period of instability included the loss of the original Church and would last until about 1955 when Plymouth found their new home on Flint St. 

In 1955 Rev. Robert became the fifth President of the National Spiritualist Association of Churches. He served lecturer traveling from coast to coast in the United States, as well as Canada, visiting churches and spreading the message of Spiritualism. 

Rev. Robert was noted to have been very devoted to the philosophical and scientific aspects of Spiritualism. He promoted Spiritualism as a natural and reasonable religion, and took a very firm stance against metaphysical teachings that he felt were not part of the Spiritualist religion. He stated, "Astrology, Numerology, Mind Science, etc. all have their place in modern society and modern thinking, but they have no place in the religion of Modern Spiritualism." 

Rev. Robert also served as President of the Lily Dale Assembly, and for many years served as editor and manager for The Summit magazine published by the NSAC. He passed away on March 10, 1973 after a long life of dedication to serving others.