Spiritualism in the White House and the 19th Century

[BettyO]

Along with the popularity of the Fox Sisters in the 1840s, spiritualism was big business in the mid 19th Century.

So many deaths in the war years also contributed to the popularity of "piercing the veil" with many seances being performed. One Mr.Mumler got into the act with "spirit photography" at about this time - obviously fake photography, until he was exposed. Mary had a photograph taken after Abraham's death with his ghost supposedly standing behind her with his hands on her shoulders.

Mr. Lincoln attended at least one seance at the White House at Mary's insistance after Willie's death in 1862.

How do you think Lincoln felt about spiritualism? His life was one of tragedies - and the war bore heavily upon his shoulders. He even had prophetic dreams about his own death - even once seeing a ghostly "double" of himself in a looking glass.