Monday, October 3, 2022

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. 


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