Spiritualism in Vermont (1800s)

In 1866, the National Association of Spiritualists held their Convention in Providence Rhode Island.
three officers were from Vermont

• President: Newman Weeks of Rutland
• Treasurer: N.O. Nott of Brandon
• one of the V.P.s was Mrs. S.A. Horton of Brandon
  

a glimpse, via a newspaper-based chronology

• 1829 Mar. "the Spiritualists believe that all phenomena are produced by the soul"
  • The Repertory (Saint Albans, Vermont); 12 Mar 1829, Thu.,Page 1
• 1847 Jan. Charles Lane denigration draws ire of a Vermonter
  • Vermont Chronicle (Bellows Falls, Vermont); 06 Jan 1847, Wed., Page 2
• 1854 Feb. An early defense by S.A. Cooley Tom Paine's writings of note
  • Argus and Patriot (Montpelier, Vermont); 23 Feb 1854, Thu., Page 3
• 1854 Mar. Letter denouncing Spiritualism
  • Middlebury Register (Middlebury, Vermont); 08 Mar 1854, Wed., Page 3
• 1854 Apr. "A Spiritual Incident" ~• visions of a dagger overcome other senses
  • Argus and Patriot (Montpelier, Vermont); 13 Apr 1854, Thu., Page 2
• 1855 Nov. "Mesmerism, Spiritualism, Phrenology" Prof. Grimes insists against the powers of séances
  • The Enterprise and Vermonter (Vergennes, Vermont); 09 Nov 1855, Fri., Page 2
• 1856 Aug. facts relating to man's identity beyond the grave
  • Vermont Journal (Windsor, Vermont); 15 Aug 1856, Fri., Page 3 < an invitation to visit South Royalton for a 3-day Spiritualist Convention
• 1857 Jul. unusual Woman's rights expressed
  • Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wisconsin) 29 Jul 1857, Wed Page 2
• 1857 Jul. early denunciation of Spiritualism by experiment
  • Middlebury Register (Middlebury, Vermont); 08 Jul 1857, Wed., Page 2
• 1857 Aug. contempt of Free Love Spiritualism Austin Simmons of Woodstock
  • Spirit of the Age (Woodstock, Vermont);13 Aug 1857, Thu., Page 2
• 1858 Jul. "Free Lovers, Spiritualists, & Rabid Abolishionists" < at a convention in Rutland
  • Vermont Journal (Windsor, Vermont); 03 Jul 1858, Sat., Page 2
• 1858 Oct. Horace Greeley (a Vermonter) and a denunciation of Spiritualism
  • The Buffalo Daily Republic (Buffalo, New York); 02 Oct 1858, Sat.,Page 2
• 1860 Mar. "Free Love Developments" perils of conjugal promiscuity
  • Aurora of the Valley (Newbury, Vermont); 24 Mar 1860, Sat., Page 4
• 1860 Aug. 17th Annual Spiritualist Convention in South Royalton
  • Burlington Times (Burlington, Vermont); 22 Aug 1860, Wed., Page 1
• 1863 Jul. attributed to witchcraft Cotton Mather reference
  • Vermont Watchman and State Journal (Montpelier, Vermont); 10 Jul 1863, Fri., Page 1
• 1864 Jan. Misogyny in the anti-Lincoln camp
  • The Rutland Weekly Herald and Globe (Rutland, Vermont) 22 Jan 1864, Fri Page 2
  • This paper appears to be a pro-Democrat/pro-McClelland organ (VT went strongly for Lincoln a few months later; but note the swipe at Cora Lodencia Veronica Scott, the young Spiritualist luminary from nearby NY & MA
• 1865 Sep. Annual VT Convention in Ludlow
  • Green-Mountain Freeman (Montpelier, Vermont) 05 Sep 1865, Tue Page 3
  • included Mrs. Townshend, Mr. Hornton, Mr. Bent (of Mt. Holly), Mr. Slocum, Ex-Gov. Chase of Minn. (among others)
• 1866 Jun Eddy brothers exposed
  • Express and Standard (Newport, Vermont) 05 Jun 1866, Tue., Page 2
  • additionally: https://www.newspapers.com/image/443208131/?terms=eddy%2Bspirituali...
• 1868 Aug. Fond du Lac Wisc. Free Love Spiritualists
  • Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wisconsin) 29 Aug 1868, Sat Page 1
  • nudity noted
• 1868 Sep. Meetings at Danby
  • Rutland Independent (Rutland, Vermont); 05 Sep 1868, Sat., Page 1
  • names officers of the Spiritualist Soc for the year.
• 1869 Jan. Bent of Wisconsin spoke, also Leo Miller
  • Middlebury Register (Middlebury, Vermont) 19 Jan 1869, Tue Page 3
• 1869 Feb. Leo Miller to speak in Middlebury
  • Middlebury Register (Middlebury, Vermont) 02 Feb 1869, Tue Page 3
• 1869 June Leo Miller's lectures in Danby
  • Rutland Independent (Rutland, Vermont) 19 Jun 1869, Sat Page 4
  • " a vulgar dig at old theology "
• 1869 June 25-27' 'VT state Spiritualiat 1/4ly Conv. Morristown
  • Rutland Weekly Herald (Rutland, Vermont) 24 Jun 1869, Thu Page 8
• 1869 December Mr. Richardson, the blind medium to speak in Bellows Falls
  • Bellows Falls Times (Bellows Falls, Vermont) 24 Dec 1869, Fri Page 3
• 1869 Dec. Dr. E.B. Holden reschedules because of gale in Middlebury
  • Middlebury Register (Middlebury, Vermont) 07 Dec 1869, Tue Page 3
  • Topic: Spiritualism is the Hope of the World"
• 1871 January State Assn. to hold mtg. in Middlebury
  • Middlebury Register (Middlebury, Vermont) 03 Jan 1871, Tue Page 3
• 1871 Oct. Wisconsin Spiritualist Convention
• 1871 Oct. the 'marriage question' examined at the 8th Nat'l Convention in Troy
  • Vermont Christian Messenger (Montpelier, Vermont) 05 Oct 1871, Thu Page 2
• 1872 Jan. the aged Rev. Shaw od Danby walks miles to oppose Spiritualist at Chester VT
  • Rutland Weekly Herald (Rutland, Vermont) 15 Feb 1872, Thu Page 5
• 1872 Jun. Free Religion Society + Spiritualists meet and speak at Plymouth
  • Black River Gazette (Ludlow, Vermont) 28 Jun 1872, Fri Page 4
  • "life after death?" was one of the questions
• 1872 Nov Vermont State Spiritualist Assn. officially incorporated by the VT Legislature
  • Vermont Journal Sat, Nov 30, 1872 ·Page 2
• 1874 Jan Rev. E. Gerry gives lecture in Bethel
  • The Woodstock Post (Woodstock, Vermont) 09 Jan 1874, Fri Page 4
  • "silly women creep into houses where the dead have just been taken out to insinuate their doctrines"
• 1874 Feb Felchville
  • Forty take the old Blood-house citadel by storm; seance
• 1875 Aug The Eddys of Chittenden VT mentioned
  • in ref. to the Lake Pleasant Spiritualist branch of Mass.
  • Eddy brothers on wikipedia
• 1876 Aug Thousands attend at Lake Pleasant
  • The Fitchburg Sentinel (Fitchburg, Massachusetts); 14 Aug 1876, Mon., Page 2
• 1878 Jun New England Spiritualist Society and Lake Pleasant lease
  • Lake Pleasant on wikipedia
• 1878 Aug another Lake Pleasant Mtg
• 1882 Sep ' 6,000 Spiritualists (total in Vermont)

Meccas of Spiritualism

• www.spiritualallianceusa.org < at Lake Pleasant, Montague, Mass.
• Queen City Park of Burlington VT
  • photo
• Lake Pleasant campmeeting grounds in Massachusetts
• Onset Bay Grove ~• begun in 1877
• Ballardvale on the Shawsheen River (1879)

who is 'Mr. Bent' the Spiritualist of Wisc., formerly of Mt. Holly?

parameters:

1. born prior to: 1849, probably in Mt. Holly, Rutland Co.

souces

• one view of Spiritualism
• the Eddy brothers, Austin E. Simons, Marenda Briggs Randall

off the wall?

• Homeward Bound, A Dissertation Upon the Relationship Between Atomic Science and Spiritualism
  • by DAMON, William F. ; Published by New York: Exposition Press, 1959 ~• (<Damon> as a surname has roots in Hartland Vt.) Damon Hall