Cora Richmond

About Cora L. V. Richmond

1840–1923

This site is dedicated to a remarkable 19th century trance medium, who spoke in crowded lecture halls to skeptic and believer alike, as well as serving as pastor of the First Society of Spiritualists in Chicago in her later years.

The following summary is derived from the book The Life Work of Mrs. Cora L.V. Richmond.

A more detailed biography is contained in the article Mrs. Cora L. V. Tappan’s Experiences as a Medium. 

It is important to note that this summary of Cora Richmond’s life is based entirely on “The Life Work of Mrs. Cora L.V. Richmond,” compiled and edited by Harrison D. Barrett and published in 1895. This source relies heavily on accounts from those close to Cora and presents a largely celebratory view of her life and contributions to Spiritualism.

Early Life and Mediumship:

  • Cora L. V. Scott (later Cora L. V. Richmond) was born in 1840 near Cuba, New York, a region noted for producing several prominent Spiritualists.
  • At age eleven, while living in Wisconsin, Cora began exhibiting mediumistic abilities, primarily through automatic writing.
  • Cora’s early mediumship attracted significant attention. Public demonstrations of her abilities, which included communicating with deceased relatives and delivering lectures while in a trance state, drew large crowds and sparked local interest in Spiritualism.
  • Cora’s formal education ended at age twelve, as her spirit guides directed her to cease attending school to focus on her mediumship.

Guidance and Influences:

  • Cora’s primary spirit guide, who began communicating with her shortly after her mediumship emerged, identified himself as the spirit of A. A. Ballou, son of the religious leader Adin Ballou.
  • Another prominent guide, a spirit named Ouina, claimed to be the spirit of a Native American woman who died centuries earlier. Ouina played a significant role in shaping Cora’s spiritual teachings and frequently communicated through her, often adopting the persona of “Shenandoah,” or “Shannie.”
  • Throughout her life, Cora maintained that her work as a medium was entirely directed and carried out by her spirit guides, who possessed her and spoke through her while she was in a trance.

Public Work and Travels:

  • Cora began her public speaking career as a young teenager, delivering lectures on Spiritualism in schoolhouses and town halls across Wisconsin.
  • Throughout the 1850s, she continued to travel and lecture throughout the Northeastern United States, drawing large audiences and captivating prominent intellectuals in cities including Buffalo, Cleveland, and Philadelphia.
  • By her late teens, Cora was speaking regularly in New York City to packed audiences at prominent venues such as Dodworth’s Hall, where she impressed those who witnessed her abilities with her sophisticated understanding of complex philosophical, scientific, and theological concepts.
  • During the Civil War era, Cora’s public work in Washington, D.C. drew large crowds, including prominent political figures, and significantly bolstered the Spiritualist movement in the nation’s capital.
  • In the late 1860s, she traveled to England and delivered a series of well-received lectures throughout the country.
  • Cora returned to England for an extended lecture tour in 1880, this time traveling throughout the provinces as well as speaking in London.
  • Throughout the 1870s and 1880s, she continued to travel and lecture widely throughout the United States, drawing large audiences and becoming a key figure in the growing Spiritualist movement.
  • Cora’s public speaking engagements often focused on the philosophical and theological underpinnings of Spiritualism. While acknowledging the existence of Spiritualist phenomena, she generally avoided incorporating such demonstrations into her lectures.

Literary Contributions:

In addition to her public speaking career, Cora also authored several books on Spiritualism, often based on the content of her lectures.

Later Life and Legacy:

  • In 1876, Cora married Nelson Richmond. The couple settled in Chicago, where Cora continued to lecture and lead the First Society of Spiritualists for many years.
  • Cora’s career as a Spiritualist spanned over seven decades and reached thousands of people across the United States and abroad. Her teachings, as articulated by her spirit guides, focused on the existence and immortality of the soul and emphasized Spiritualism’s compatibility with science and reason.
  • Cora’s work was reportedly instrumental in legitimizing Spiritualism and expanding its appeal among intellectuals and reformers.