• About
  • Archer Paranormal Investigations (API)
  • Contact
  • Equipment
    • Go-To Tools
  • Media
  • The Haunted Librarian Show

The Haunted Librarian

~ Researching, investigating, and writing about the paranormal.

The Haunted Librarian

Category Archives: Fox Sisters

Who Were the Fox Sisters?

10 Saturday Aug 2019

Posted by The Haunted Librarian in Famous People, Fox Sisters, Para Scammers, ParaScammers, Psychics, Uncategorized

≈ Comments Off on Who Were the Fox Sisters?

Tags

Kate Fox, Leah Fox Fish, Maggie Fox

Hydesville House

Who Were the Fox Sisters?

The Fox Sisters are sometimes called the originators of Spiritualism in the United States. Here are some facts about the sisters and a quick overview of their lives.

  • Sisters were born in Canada. Family relocated to New York.
  • Margaretta “Maggie” was 14 and Catherine “Kate” was 11 when they began to perform in Hydesville, New York.
  • A rumor started that the sisters were aided by a murdered peddler. This story was never substantiated.
  • On April Fool’s Eve (March 31) in 1848, the sisters performed their unique abilities to a local 33-year-old neighbor. Their mother, Margaret, led the demonstration.
  • Maggie and Kate relocated to Rochester, New York to live with their older sister, Ann Leah Fox Fish.
  • Isaac and Amy Post rented the large public hall for the Fox Sister’s first public demonstration. Four hundred people attended the November 14, 1849 event.
  • Leah joined Maggie and Kate in the performances.
  • The sisters debuted in New York City at Barnum’s Hotel, located at Broadway and Maiden Lane. The hotel was owned by a cousin of P.T. Barnum.
  • Scientific American labeled the sisters “Spiritual Knocker from Rochester.”
  • A big toe demonstration brought their careers to an end. On October 21, 1888, Maggie was paid $1,500 to denounce their abilities. At the New York Academy of Music, she did indeed denounce; however, it was done to embarrass Leah, who was highly critical of Kate’s drinking.
  • Maggie and Kate began with apple dropping to create the knocks. Later, they were able to manipulate their body parts to make noises.
  • Leah died November 1, 1890 at the age of 77.
  • Kate died July 2, 1892 at the age of 55.
  • Maggie died March 8, 1893 at the age of 59.
  • Kate and Maggie are buried together in the Cypress Hills Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.
  • In 1904, schoolchildren playing in their Hydesville home discovered bones in the walls. The house was known as the “spook house” by then.
  • In 1909, the bones were ruled a probable hoax.

 

Fox Family
fox_sisters_mediums
MaggieKateTomb

Learn more about phony psychics at Dragon Con 2019!

Update and Clarification: I believe they had psychics gifts, but those gifts were either exploited by others or used for fraudulent gain. Look for my follow-up blog addressing these theories.

Registered Trademark

Archer Paranormal Investigations

Archer Paranormal Investigations

The Haunted Librarian

Marietta, Georgia

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

Archives

Categories

Top 50 Paranormal Blogs & Websites

Top 15 Paranormal Blogs of 2019

Banners for Top 15 Paranormal Blogs of 2019

A WordPress.com Website.

Cancel

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Loading Comments...
Comment
    ×