Cora Lodencia Veronica Scott was born on April 21, 1840 near Cuba, New York. At her birth she had a caul over her face, a membrane "veil" which is thought in some folk religions to indicate special powers.[1] Her parents, though initially Presbyterian, became interested in the Universalist religion, and in early 1851 joined the Hopedale Community, an intentional community in Hopedale, Massachusetts. Led by Adin Ballou, the community was committed to abolitionism, temperance, socialism, and nonviolence. Finding Hopedale too crowded, the Scott family moved to Waterloo, Wisconsin later that year to found a similar intentional community, with the blessings of Adin Ballou. It was there, in early 1852, that Cora first exhibited her ability to falCora Lodencia Veronica Scott was born on April 21, 1840 near Cuba, New York. At her birth she had a caul over her face, a membrane "veil" which is thought in some folk religions to indicate special powers.[1] Her parents, though initially Presbyterian, became interested in the Universalist religion, and in early 1851 joined the Hopedale Community, an intentional community in Hopedale, Massachusetts. Led by Adin Ballou, the community was committed to abolitionism, temperance, socialism, and nonviolence. Finding Hopedale too crowded, the Scott family moved to Waterloo, Wisconsin later that year to found a similar intentional community, with the blessings of Adin Ballou. It was there, in early 1852, that Cora first exhibited her ability to fall into a trance and write messages and speak in ways very unlike herself. Her parents soon began to exhibit her to the surrounding country, and in this way she became a part of the network of trance lecturers that characterized the Spiritualist movement.[2]
Cora's father died in 1853, and in 1854 she moved to Buffalo, New York and became well-known among the most important Spiritualists in the country. By the age of 15, she was making public appearances in which she spoke with "supernatural eloquence" on almost any topic put forward by the audience, all while claiming to be in a trance. Contemporary audiences found the spectacle itself incredible: a very young and pretty girl declaiming with authority on esoteric subjects; it was enough to convince many people that she was indeed a channel for spirits.[2]
Married four times, Cora adopted the last name of her husband at each marriage, and at various times carried the surnames Hatch, Daniels, Tappan, and Richmond. Her first husband, whom she married at age 16, was the professional mesmerist Benjamin Franklin Hatch. Over 30 years her senior, Hatch was a skilled showman who managed Cora in order to maximize revenue, much to the dismay of serious spiritualists.[3] The marriage ended bitterly, but since the period of their marriage coincided with her greatest fame, Cora is best known as Cora Hatch.
On 10 May 1874 Cora L.V. Tappan delivered an inspirational discourse at Cleveland Hall, London.[4] The next week Judge John W. Edmonds delivered an address to a large audience in Cleveland Hall through Mrs. Tappan as medium. The judge had died less than two months earlier.[5] Charles Maurice Davies wrote that year,
The reigning favourite at present in London is Mrs. Cora Tappan, who was better known as a medium in America by her maiden name of Cora Hatch. She came out with considerable éclat at St. George's Hall, after which she drifted to Weston's Music Hall in Holborn, in which slightly incongruous locality she set up her "Spiritual Church". Now she has abandoned the ecclesiastical title, and hangs out at Cleveland Hall, somewhere down a slum by Fitzroy Square. Facilis descensus!"[6]
She returned to the United States in 1875, and became pastor of a Spiritualist church in Chicago. She would hold this position for the rest of her life. In 1878 she married William Richmond, who helped her by learning shorthand so he could record her lectures for publication. In 1893 she delivered a presentation on Spiritualism at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago. That year she helped found the National Spiritualist Association, and was elected its first vice-president. For the next twenty years she spoke at the Association's annual conference.[7]
Cora Scott Richmond died at the age of 82 on January 3, 1923 in Chicago, Illinois.[7] - Wikipedia
Cora's books are often published under Cora Linn Victoria Scott Richmond....more
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