Cora L. V. Scott (1840–1923)

1840- Cuba, NY- A beautiful baby is born, however, the caul is wrapped about her face. Her parents, presbyterians who would soon thereafter move to Wisconsin and partake in Unitarian religious communities there, are certain that they have given life to a gifted psychic.

1852- Waterloo, Wisconsin- Cora, a girl gifted with a cherubic face and hair that curled into ringlets, had fallen into another one of her sleeping fits on the parlor divan. Her mother watched nervously, afraid of what this might mean. She had recently fallen asleep in the garden and had woken up to all manner of strange writing on the chalk slate that she had with her. Cora’s delicate hand began sketching in the air. Finally, her mother brought her a chalk and slate. Cora began writing messages from deceased relatives, some of whom she had never met. At the end she wrote: “WE ARE NOT DEAD!”

Soon, Cora was channeling a German Doctor who began to administer medical advice and even small operations to the locals who came from all around to see the miracles.

1856- the audiences gasped as Cora, deep in trance, her beautiful face shining in the stage lights, went into long lectures about complex subjects that the audience had chosen, somewhat like a scholarly improv. Cora provided facts and figures that astounded experts. One man, mesmerist Benjamin Franklin Hatch, some thirty years her senior, saw her potential and asked for her hand in marriage. He gave her stage shows spectacle and soon people came from all around to witness this psychic prodigy.

During this time, Cora spoke at length on the subject of abolitionism, and like so many of her contemporaries often invoked the spirits of Native Americans that had much to say on the topic of 19th century America. Here, we see that audiences would permit the preaching of progressive ideas because of the nature of the spectacle of spiritualism.

Cora complained of abuse and infidelity from her husband, who returned the favor. In any event, Cora would become divorced in 1863, and would go on to marry three more times in the course of her life. Despite these scandals, and the addition of multiple names: Hatch, Richmond, Daniels and Tappen, Cora would tour America and England, give countless lectures and then settle finally in 1875 at the age of thirty-five to become pastor of the Chicago Spiritualist Church. She would remain in that position until she died in 1923. In 1892, she would preside over the funeral of Abraham Lincoln’s personal medium, Nettie Colburn Maynard. She would also become the first vice-president of the National Spiritualist Association of Churches at its founding in 1893.

This remarkable woman would make a name for herself early on and then continue to captivate throughout her life. She spoke out continually for equal treatment for all humans and was considered by Emma Hardinge Bretton to be a true leader and central figure in the Spiritualist movement.

Below is a link to a poem that was written to memorialize the Mechanics’ Institute massacre of 1866 where a slaughter against black Americans perpetrated by ex-confederate soldiers claimed 34 lives and injured 119 in New Orleans. It was one of the only poems published in English in the French language New Orleans paper. This was read again in the first year anniversary memorial of the tragedy.

IN MEMORIAM — JULY 30 By Mrs. Cora L. V. Daniels 1866-1867