Talking to the Dead:
Kate and Maggie Fox and
the Rise of Spiritualism

The Fox Sisters

The Fox Sisters - Catherine (Kate) and Margarette (better known as Margaret or Maggie) - are probably the most famous mediums in the history of spiritualism. In many ways they can be said to have created the nineteenth century spiritualism movement.

The Fox Sisters remain highly controversial. Most people today are skeptical about their claimed abilities, however some still believe. Even though one sister confessed to fraud she later recanted her confession, leaving the record muddled.

History

The Fox family lived in a house in Hydesville, New York that had an established reputation as being haunted. Beginning in March 1848 (when Margaret was about 12 and Kate about 10) the family started to hear unexplained noises during the night.

Later on that month Kate reportedly began to communicate with a spirit she called Old Mister Splitfoot who was haunting the property. Initially this communication was very simple - Kate would say "Do as I do" and the "spirit" would then repeat a pattern of claps or taps. Sort of "Spirit hear, spirit do". Margaret later joined in the communications.

Over time the communication became more advanced with Kate, Margaret and Mr Splitfoot evolving a code whereby he could respond to questions by means of taps. This communication was demonstrated to friends and relatves and eventually the identity of the spirit was established as Charles B Rosma, who said he had been murdered and buried in the cellar of the house.

As word of the girls' activities spread, they were split up and sent away to separate relatives to avoid the excitement. However the rappings and communication went with them and it wasn't long before they began public demonstrations.

Older sister Leah became manager to the two girls and their career quickly took off as they amazed and entertained both ordinary people and high society on both sides of the Atlantic.

Unfortuntely the Fox Sisters were also overly familiar with another spirit - alcohol. Eventually they argued, Margaret made her public confession and the Sisters' career disappeared. They were finally buried in paupers' graves.

Fraud?

In 1888, when the Sisters were at a low ebb, a reporter offered them $1,500 to explain their methods. Margaret agreed and on 21 October 1888 - in front of an audience of some 2000 people - she dmonstrated how she could create rapping noises at will by simply cracking the joints of her toes (something I personally have tried without success!).

Needless to say, after this confession the public lost interest in the Fox Sisters and what was left of their career as mediums was all but over. Kate continued to perform but could no longer draw the crowds she once did. Margaret could no longer work as a medium - perhaps for this reason Margaret later retracted her confession.

It would seem to be a cut and dried case of a simple fraud taking in those who wanted to believe. However there is a final twist to the story: in 1904 a skeleton was found buried in the Hydesville house where the story had begun. Exactly as the young Fox Sisters had claimed all those years ago.

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