Lincoln and Spirutalism

[loetar44]

On February 20, 1862 Willie Lincoln died. Lincoln and Mary suffered unspeakable sorrow. Was it then that Mary Lincoln became devotee of spiritualism to combat her grief. Was it then that she made the White House a center for the (D.C) spiritualist community? Is it true that Lincoln only attended a few séances (to protect Mary), or is this incorrect? Did Lincoln instead attend numerous séances? And what impact had spiritualism on his policies?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Kees, if you read through these sites (you can click on each of the charlatans for more info), this might help:
http://www.mrlincolnswhitehouse.org/insi...ubjectID=2

[L Verge]

Terry Alford mentions a spiritualist who had ties to both Lincoln and Booth in his book, Fortune's Fool. At the Surratt conference, I asked him what his next research project was going to be, and he told me Spiritualism. I don't think he was teasing.

[loetar44]

Kees, if you read through these sites (you can click on each of the charlatans for more info), this might help:
http://www.mrlincolnswhitehouse.org/insi...ubjectID=2

Thank you Eva. However, perhaps I formulated my question wrong, but I know that Mary attended a lot of séances and that historians say that President Lincoln only attended one (or maybe a few) séances, only to humor his grieving wife. This is the most widely spread opinion, as is also stated in the article you mentioned.

But Michelle L. Hamilton wrote in her thesis for MA in History on November 14, 2013 the following: “In February 1863 a group of individuals gathered at a residence in Georgetown a suburb of Washington, D.C. These people had gathered to take part in a spiritualist séance. The spirits were ready for the party and demonstrated their power by causing a piano to levitate. Amused by the incident, one of the guests’s decided to climb up on the piano to see if he could prevent it from levitating. This did not dissuade the spirits and the piano continued to rise up and down as the piano was being played. While the scene might have the aura of fantasy, the séance did occur and the person that decided to sit on the piano was none other than President Abraham Lincoln. Brought to the séance by his wife Mary, the President was intrigued by the events that he saw that night, BUT IT WAS NOT HIS FIRST SÉANCE AND IT WOULD NOT BE HIS LAST.

I have not read the thesis but Hamilton suggests that Abraham Lincoln attended a lot of seances and that he believed in it. Of course Lincoln’s friends were horrified and also for modern historians and scholars it is not possible that such an epic figure as Lincoln would have willingly participated or even believed in communications with the spirits of the dead. Historians have taken statements that Lincoln was not interested in spiritualism or any other metaphysical beliefs as definitive proof that all claims he did were exaggerations. But where is the real proof? That question intrigues me.

And if Lincoln did believe, why are his metaphysical beliefs generally viewed sympathetically, while Mary’s similar beliefs are nearly universally condemned...

[L Verge]

My immediate response (and I have only basic knowledge of the Lincolns' belief in spiritualism) is that Abraham would have had a curiosity for such things, just as the American public did at that time. Our tendency to dismiss spiritualism's influence on him and others is another example of us judging our 19th-century ancestors with 21st-century eyes. I also believe that many in the religious field pooh-poohed the practice, thus making it a side-show to many people.

[Gene C]

Historians have taken statements that Lincoln was not interested in spiritualism or any other metaphysical beliefs as definitive proof that all claims he did were exaggerations. But where is the real proof? That question intrigues me.

And if Lincoln did believe, why are his metaphysical beliefs generally viewed sympathetically, while Mary’s similar beliefs are nearly universally condemned...

I think the following shows Lincoln was very skeptical about "Spiritualism". He may have tolerated them as a way for Mary to deal with her grief.
This is about one of the spiritualist from Eva's link.

http://www.mrlincolnswhitehouse.org/insi...ubjectID=2

You can read "Washington in Lincoln's Time" by Noah Brooks
https://books.google.com/books?id=KWlIrA...&q&f=false

[Eva Elisabeth]

But Michelle L. Hamilton wrote in her thesis for MA in History on November 14, 2013 the following: “In February 1863 a group of individuals gathered at a residence in Georgetown a suburb of Washington, D.C. These people had gathered to take part in a spiritualist séance. The spirits were ready for the party and demonstrated their power by causing a piano to levitate. Amused by the incident, one of the guests’s decided to climb up on the piano to see if he could prevent it from levitating. This did not dissuade the spirits and the piano continued to rise up and down as the piano was being played. While the scene might have the aura of fantasy, the séance did occur and the person that decided to sit on the piano was none other than President Abraham Lincoln. Brought to the séance by his wife Mary, the President was intrigued by the events that he saw that night, BUT IT WAS NOT HIS FIRST SÉANCE AND IT WOULD NOT BE HIS LAST.

The source for these claims is medium Nettie Colburn (also one of the links on my first link), who later wrote this book:
https://archive.org/details/wasabraham00mayn
This "review" might interest you:
http://seekeronline.info/journals/y2007/jan07part2.htm

---

As for "Lord" Colchester, A. Lincoln asked Dr. Henry of the Smithsonian to investigate him, before Brooks exposed him.

[RJNorton]

According to Lincoln Day By Day, edited by Earl Schenck Miers, President Lincoln “allegedly attended a spiritualist séance in the White House” on April 23, 1863. I have always trusted this source when it comes to Lincoln's daily activities. No other séances attended by Lincoln are cited in the book.

In her bio of Mary Jean Baker writes that there may have been up to eight séances in the White House, but "the spiritualists claimed too much when they made Abraham Lincoln a believer. Certainly the president accepted presents and even read letters and books from mediums, but he was just a curious man with a persuaded wife."

Baker writes that it was Elizabeth Keckly who probably was most responsible for Mary's interest in spiritualism.

[loetar44]

found Michelle Hamilton's thesis. Very interesting to read! If you are interested you can download in pdf format (106 pages) here:

https://app.box.com/s/xw9ho5o9kn59r3kkmtjit0qjk1qzxfzs

   

   

   

[RJNorton]

Thank you for posting the link to Michelle Hamilton's thesis, Kees.

I started reading and have a question. As do many authors, she writes, "Addressing his wife, President Lincoln asked, “Mother, do you see that white building on the hill yonder?” “Try and control your grief, or it will drive you mad, and we will have to send you there.”

This was in reaction to Mary's overwhelming grief after Willie's death.

The question I have is whether or not this sighting of a white building (assuming an asylum) was possible. I vaguely recall a discussion about this long ago on the forum, and it was determined such a building could not be seen from the White House. Does anyone remember this discussion?

[Gene C]

I remember, is that incident attributed to Elizabeth Keckley?

Here is another thread where we have discussed this subject (spirtualism) from a different angle.
http://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussio...ht=keckley

[RJNorton]

Gene, yes. She is the sole source for the quote (as far as I know).

[Juan Marrero]

Very interesting thread.

In reading "Fortune's Fool" I was intrigued that a British medium named Colchester to whom Booth may have revealed some of his plans may, in turn, have given Lincoln a vague indication of them. Also, the author states that Booth was an admirer of Charlotte Corday, so indeed he may have explicitly seen Lincoln as a latter-day Marat.

A few years ago, Pulitzer prize winner and science writer, Deborah Blum, wrote a book titled "Ghost Hunters." It impartially details the efforts of an eminent group of 19th century scientists and intellectuals from the United States and Great Britain to determine whether there was anything to spirit mediumship beyond Barnum and Bailey-style "entertainment". The expensive and extensive enterprise was headed by William James, the father of modern psychology. The "chef d'ouevre" of their efforts was Leonora Piper, a young New Englander with the seeming ability to contact the dead.

Poor Mrs. Piper was practically kidnapped by the group so as to isolate her from information or persons who might taint her readings. After years of study, James famously declared that she was "the one white crow that proves that not all crows are black." Mrs. Piper lived to extreme old age and her "powers' seemed to diminish with her other faculties. She never claimed to speak to the dead (or that they spoke through her), but once suggested that perhaps she had some inexplicable telepathic gift. I highly recommend the Blum book.

I am an agnostic on all this but agree with James conclusion that, if there is anything to spiritual mediumship, we won't know for sure this time around. I hope that MTL received some comfort from her attempts to contact Willie, but given no indication that she later sought to contact Tad, perhaps she learned the futility of trying.

[RJNorton]

I wish some of the séances cited had more corroborating sources. For example in the séance in which Charles E. Shockle was the medium Edwin Stanton's ears were allegedly pinched and Gideon Welles' beard was allegedly twitched. I would think such unusual happenings would have been included in Gideon Welles' diary. I checked his diary for April 1863. Nothing said about this...

[Gene C]

I agree, Roger. If Stanton's ears were pinched, I imagine Welles would have recorded that. He didn't seem to like Stanton.