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The Spiritual Science Fellowship-Fraternité des Sciences Spirituelles
Just some fun facts about The Fox Sisters:
The Fox sisters played a pivotal role in the development and popularization of spiritualism in the mid-19th century:
1. Origins of the movement: On March 31, 1848, sisters Maggie (age 14) and Kate Fox (age 11) claimed to communicate with a spirit through mysterious “rappings” in their Hydesville, New York home[1][3]. This event is widely considered the starting point of the spiritualist movement.
2. Public demonstrations: The sisters began holding public séances, including a notable demonstration at Corinthian Hall in Rochester on November 14, 1849. This was the first spiritualist demonstration before a paying audience, inaugurating a long history of public spiritualist events[1].
3. Spreading the practice: The Fox sisters’ alleged abilities attracted significant attention, leading them to conduct séances for hundreds of people. Their performances helped popularize the practice of communicating with spirits through mediums[1].
4. High-profile supporters: The sisters gained support from prominent figures like Horace Greeley, who acted as a mentor and enabled their access to higher social circles. Their public séances in New York in 1850 attracted notable attendees, including William Cullen Bryant, George Bancroft, and James Fenimore Cooper[1].
5. Rapid growth: The Fox sisters’ fame led to a surge in interest in spiritualism. By 1897, the movement claimed over eight million followers, primarily from the middle and upper classes[2].
6. New methods: As their careers progressed, the sisters developed new techniques for creating “spirit” phenomena. For example, Margaretta reportedly used muscles in her lower leg to produce raps[1].
7. Controversy and confession: In 1888, Margaretta publicly confessed that their rappings had been a hoax and demonstrated their method. However, she later recanted this confession. Despite the controversy, the spiritualist movement continued to grow[1][3].
The Fox sisters’ initial claims and subsequent performances catalyzed the spiritualist movement, leading to widespread interest in communicating with the dead and the establishment of spiritualism as a significant religious and cultural phenomenon in the 19th century.
Citations:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_sisters
[2] https://historicgeneva.org/recreation/fox-sisters/
[3] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-fox-sisters-and-the-rap-on-spiritualism-99663697/
[4] https://stcatharinesmuseumblog.com/2022/08/27/tapping-into-spiritualism-in-the-2022-guided-spirit-walks/
[5] https://katdevitt.com/2017/10/12/turning-through-history-the-fox-sisters/
[6] https://www.friendsofdalnavert.ca/blog/2019/7/31/gabbing-with-ghosts-the-fox-sisters-and-the-rise-of-spiritualism
[7] https://www.newmanmentalism.com/blog/a-mentalist-explains-the-fox-sisters-and-the-birth-of-spiritualism
[8] https://thepenningtonedition.wordpress.com/2012/11/02/spirtualism-a-19th-century-obsession/