The house at which the manifestations [rappings] first commenced, that
have turned the eyes of the people of this generation to a more
minute and careful investigation of spiritual phenomena [Spiritualism] than
has characterized any preceding age, stands among a cluster of
houses known by the name of Hydesville, in the town of Arcadia,
county of Wayne and state of New York. It is a small framed
building, one and a half stories high, and, at the time of the occurrences which have made it a matter of interest and curiosity to so
many thousands, bore unmistakable evidences of age; and had
been the humble shelter of many a family previous to that of
Mr. Fox.
It has generally been supposed, and so published, in most of the accounts of the commencement of these phenomena, that the sounds were first heard when the house was occupied by a Mr. Weekman. This seems to be an error, as there are, at least, two witnesses, whose testimony is recorded in a small pamphlet, published by E. E. Lewis, Esq., at Canandaigua, N. Y., in 1848, who testify to the sounds being heard by a family who occupied the same house in 1844. These witnesses are Mrs. Ann Pulver and Miss Lucretia Pulver. The former testifies as follows:
"I was acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. — (who occupied the house in 1844). I used to call on them frequently. My warping bars were in their chamber, and I used to go there to do my work. One morning when I went there Mrs. — told me that she felt very bad; that she had not slept much if any the night before. When I asked her what the matter was, she said she did n't know but what it was the fidgets; but she thought she heard somebody walking about from one room to another, and that she had Mr. — get up and fasten down all the windows. She said she felt more safe after that. I asked her what she thought it was. She said it might be rats. I heard her speak about hearing noises after that which she could not account for."
Miss Lucretia Pulver, in her testimony, says: "I lived in this house all one winter, in the family of Mr. —. I worked for them part of the time, and part of the time I boarded and went to school. I lived there about three months. During the latter part of the time that I was there I heard this knocking frequently, in the bedroom, under the foot of the bed. I heard it a number of nights, as I slept in the bedroom all the time that I staid there. One night I thought I heard a man walking in the buttery. This buttery is near the bedroom, with a stairway between. Miss Aurelia Lozey staid with me on that night; she also heard the noise, and we were both much frightened, and got up, and fastened down the windows and fastened the door. It sounded as if a person walked through the buttery, down cellar, and part way across the cellar bottom, and there the noise would cease. There was no one else in the house at this time, except my little brother, who was asleep in the same room with us. This was about twelve o'clock, I should think. We did not go to bed until after eleven, and had not been asleep when we heard the noise. Mr. and Mrs. — had gone to Loch Berlin, to be gone until the next day."
It has generally been supposed, and so published, in most of the accounts of the commencement of these phenomena, that the sounds were first heard when the house was occupied by a Mr. Weekman. This seems to be an error, as there are, at least, two witnesses, whose testimony is recorded in a small pamphlet, published by E. E. Lewis, Esq., at Canandaigua, N. Y., in 1848, who testify to the sounds being heard by a family who occupied the same house in 1844. These witnesses are Mrs. Ann Pulver and Miss Lucretia Pulver. The former testifies as follows:
"I was acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. — (who occupied the house in 1844). I used to call on them frequently. My warping bars were in their chamber, and I used to go there to do my work. One morning when I went there Mrs. — told me that she felt very bad; that she had not slept much if any the night before. When I asked her what the matter was, she said she did n't know but what it was the fidgets; but she thought she heard somebody walking about from one room to another, and that she had Mr. — get up and fasten down all the windows. She said she felt more safe after that. I asked her what she thought it was. She said it might be rats. I heard her speak about hearing noises after that which she could not account for."
Miss Lucretia Pulver, in her testimony, says: "I lived in this house all one winter, in the family of Mr. —. I worked for them part of the time, and part of the time I boarded and went to school. I lived there about three months. During the latter part of the time that I was there I heard this knocking frequently, in the bedroom, under the foot of the bed. I heard it a number of nights, as I slept in the bedroom all the time that I staid there. One night I thought I heard a man walking in the buttery. This buttery is near the bedroom, with a stairway between. Miss Aurelia Lozey staid with me on that night; she also heard the noise, and we were both much frightened, and got up, and fastened down the windows and fastened the door. It sounded as if a person walked through the buttery, down cellar, and part way across the cellar bottom, and there the noise would cease. There was no one else in the house at this time, except my little brother, who was asleep in the same room with us. This was about twelve o'clock, I should think. We did not go to bed until after eleven, and had not been asleep when we heard the noise. Mr. and Mrs. — had gone to Loch Berlin, to be gone until the next day."
Capron, Eliab Wilkinson, Modern Spiritualism: its facts and fanaticisms, its consistencies and contradictions, Boston: Bela Marsh; New York: Partridge and Brittan; Philadelphia: sold by Fowlers, Wells & Co., 1855, pp. 33-34.
[...] Lucretia Pulver, states
that she lived with Mr. and Mrs. Bell during part of the
time they occupied the house, namely, for three months
during the winter of 1843-44, sometimes working for
them, sometimes boarding with them, and going to
school, she being then fifteen years old. She says Mr.
and Mrs. Bell "appeared to be very good folks, only
rather quick-tempered."
She states that, during the latter part of her residence with them, one afternoon, about two o'clock, a peddler, on foot, apparently about thirty years of age, wearing a black frock-coat and light-colored pantaloons, and having with him a trunk and a basket, called at Mr. Bell's. Mrs. Bell informed her she had known him formerly. Shortly after he came in, Mr. and Mrs. Bell consulted together for nearly half an hour in the buttery. Then Mrs. Bell told her—very unexpectedly to her—that they did not require her any more; that she (Mrs. B.) was going that afternoon to Lock Berlin, and that she (Lucretia) had better return home, as they thought they could not afford to keep her longer. Accordingly, Mrs. Bell and Lucretia left the house, the peddler and Mr. Bell remaining. Before she went, however, Lucretia looked at a piece of delaine, and told the peddler she would take a dress off it if he would call the next day at her father's house, hard by, which he promised to do; but he never came. Three days afterward, Mrs. Bell returned, and, to Lucretia's surprise, sent for her again to stay with them.
A few days after this, Lucretia began to hear knocking in the bedroom—afterward occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Fox—where she slept. The sounds seemed to be under the foot of the bed, and were repeated during a number of nights. One night, when Mr. and Mrs. Bell had gone to Lock Berlin, and she had remained in the house with her little brother and a daughter of Mr. Losey, named Aurelia, they heard, about twelve o'clock, what seemed the footsteps of a man walking in the buttery. They had not gone to bed till eleven, and. had not yet fallen asleep. It sounded as if some one crossed the buttery, then went down the cellar-stair, then walked part of the way across the cellar, and stopped. The girls were greatly frightened, got up and fastened doors and windows.
About a week after this, Lucretia, having occasion to go down into the cellar, screamed out. Mrs. Bell asked what was the matter. Lucretia exclaimed, "What has Mr. Bell been doing in the cellar?" She had sunk in the soft soil and fallen. Mrs. Bell replied that it was only rat-holes. A few days afterward, at nightfall, Mr. Bell carried some earth into the cellar, and was at work there some time. Mrs. Bell said he was filling up the rat-holes.
She states that, during the latter part of her residence with them, one afternoon, about two o'clock, a peddler, on foot, apparently about thirty years of age, wearing a black frock-coat and light-colored pantaloons, and having with him a trunk and a basket, called at Mr. Bell's. Mrs. Bell informed her she had known him formerly. Shortly after he came in, Mr. and Mrs. Bell consulted together for nearly half an hour in the buttery. Then Mrs. Bell told her—very unexpectedly to her—that they did not require her any more; that she (Mrs. B.) was going that afternoon to Lock Berlin, and that she (Lucretia) had better return home, as they thought they could not afford to keep her longer. Accordingly, Mrs. Bell and Lucretia left the house, the peddler and Mr. Bell remaining. Before she went, however, Lucretia looked at a piece of delaine, and told the peddler she would take a dress off it if he would call the next day at her father's house, hard by, which he promised to do; but he never came. Three days afterward, Mrs. Bell returned, and, to Lucretia's surprise, sent for her again to stay with them.
A few days after this, Lucretia began to hear knocking in the bedroom—afterward occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Fox—where she slept. The sounds seemed to be under the foot of the bed, and were repeated during a number of nights. One night, when Mr. and Mrs. Bell had gone to Lock Berlin, and she had remained in the house with her little brother and a daughter of Mr. Losey, named Aurelia, they heard, about twelve o'clock, what seemed the footsteps of a man walking in the buttery. They had not gone to bed till eleven, and. had not yet fallen asleep. It sounded as if some one crossed the buttery, then went down the cellar-stair, then walked part of the way across the cellar, and stopped. The girls were greatly frightened, got up and fastened doors and windows.
About a week after this, Lucretia, having occasion to go down into the cellar, screamed out. Mrs. Bell asked what was the matter. Lucretia exclaimed, "What has Mr. Bell been doing in the cellar?" She had sunk in the soft soil and fallen. Mrs. Bell replied that it was only rat-holes. A few days afterward, at nightfall, Mr. Bell carried some earth into the cellar, and was at work there some time. Mrs. Bell said he was filling up the rat-holes.
Owen, Robert Dale, Footfalls on the Boundary of Another World, Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1860, pp. 294-296.
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