Gifted Medium & Seeress, A Biography

"All ancient religions symbolized the Infinite in the Unknown yet Perfect Sphere of Omniscience; yet all ancient religions considered the first expression of Deity as twofold. The terms Divine Maternity, and the Great Mother Nature, are synonymous with the feminine name of the Deity. The earth is made the symbol of the Divine Mother. In all religions, either veiled or openly, there is the feminine Deity, co-equal in Power, perfect in Love, half of the Dual life of the Deity." - Mrs. Cora L.V. Richmond, The Soul in its Human Embodiments, 1888

Cora Richmond April 21, 1840

Born Cora Lodencia Veronica Scott on April 21, 1840 near Cuba, New York, Cora Richmond was the daughter of David W. and Lodencia Butterfield. The startling gifts of this child medium displayed by the age of eleven prepared the way for her globally recognized spiritual guidance. The mores of her family of origin home was entirely free from the teachings of orthodoxy meaning that Cora’s early developing mind had not been biased by dogmatic theology. Because baby Cora was born with a veil, a physical attribute believed to confer special powers, she was given a name which translates to mean poetess, priestess and counselor, a woman of wisdom with powers of a Seeress. Cora Richmond is my teacher, spirit guide, indeed Avatar.

First Spirit Visitation

From the very beginning, David Scott embraced the teachings that fell so eloquently from his daughter’s lips. Her mediumship had developed quite naturally. She had not studied nor sought it. She was bewildered by it, as were her parents. The first spirit visitation came while she was sitting in the garden arbor preparing a composition for school. She fell asleep and upon waking, noted that her slate was covered with writing in an unknown hand. Laughingly, she accused her schoolmates of writing on her slate while she slept, which they of course denied. A few days later the same phenomena occurred while she was alone. Her schoolmates came to accept the strange happenings as children will and finally made a game of it and asked Cora to do their schoolwork for them while she slept. When her parents heard of this strange happening, they could hardly believe their ears.

Cora Richmond: Child Medium Writing Messages from Family in Spirit

One day, the mother sat sewing while Cora sat on a stool at her feet. Suddenly Cora fainted. Her poor mother was distraught, but noticing that the child’s right hand and arm were twitching, and remembering the slate and the game played by the children, she brought a slate and pencil. Immediately Cora began to write out messages from family and friends, many of whom Cora had never heard of and who had been in Spirit many years. From then on, her development was rapid and instead of writing her messages, she began to deliver them in a low guttural voice. Her platform appearance followed and she became the wonder of the country around.

Twelve Spirits Speak Through Cora Richmond

Cora’s public platform work began when she was eleven years of age, but it was not until she was fifteen that her spiritual teaching before large audiences began. It was announced that there were twelve spirits, having different gifts or phases of knowledge, who would speak as the occasion demanded on scientific, philosophical, historical, political or other topics chosen by or adapted to the audiences. In nearly all of the large cities, the committees chosen were always composed of the most well known scholarly men. They generally selected a topic which they deemed most difficult for any speaker to discuss. The intention was to confound this young gifted girl. Many interesting incidents are told of how those who came would chuckle over their great skill and ingenuity in devising difficult questions; and to their great chagrin when they listened to the ease with which she treated their problems. Many topics were presented which were so profoundly discussed through her instrumentality, that even professional persons admitted they could do no better; many with tears in their eyes humbly confessed their astonishment in hearing such amazing lectures through the lips of a child.

Cora Richmond Young Girl of 16 Parried Every Question

After more than two years in New York City, she accepted a call to Baltimore, Maryland. Her audience there consisted of judges, lawyers, teachers, scientists and military personnel. They were not declared spiritualists but they were forced to admit that they had no one who could cope with this young girl of sixteen. She parried their every question with intellectual brilliance, lecturing upon such subjects as astronomy, political science, religion, philosophy, history and especially upon the burning question of slavery, with an intelligence which astounded leaders and teachers in such fields.

Link Between Science & Spiritualism

Answering a call from the spiritualists of England, she made her first trip to that country in 1873. Dr. J. M. Peebles had praised her work during his tour of Britain and Emma Hardinge Britten had described the astounding psychic ability that she possessed. Spiritualism was comparatively new in England and there was much prejudice and criticism emanating from the Orthodox Church. Her first lecture, The Link Between Science and Spiritualism, created a furor of excitement. Some of England’s finest thinkers were in attendance, among them Stainton Moses, William Oxley, George Thompson and John Bright, whose friendship for America in the dark days of the rebellion is a matter of history. Also in attendance was one American, the distinguished Robert Dale Owen, holder of many positions in the United States Government. His great service to our cause is well known wherever Spiritualism is mentioned. His great book, Footfalls on the Boundary of Another World is a living monument to his memory. The inspiration for this book is his many experiences with Cora, of whom he wrote:

“We have not among the women of America any more enlightened, or more judicial, or more eloquent of the principles of what, in modern phrase, is termed Spiritualism, than this lady and I am sure that those who have thought deeply upon this subject will be much gratified in studying her marvelous psychic attributes.”

Cora Richmond Brings Audience to its Feet

The original tour was scheduled to last six months, but because of the interest and enthusiasm aroused, Cora stayed for two full years. During this time she visited every city in England and Scotland; while she met with uniform success in her work yet she had some adverse experiences. For instance, while in Leeds, a worthy Presbyterian Divine accused her of memorizing her lectures. She allowed him to choose a lecture subject after the audience had gathered and he chose, Sight, the Relationship of the Optic Nerve upon the Retina of the Eye and the Human Brain. The lecture that followed lasted for an hour. Of perfect scientific content, with no hesitancy and in exemplary English, her oratory brought the audience to its feet, cheering wildly. The abashed clergyman hastily left the hall.

Cora Richmond Brings Spiritual Messages to England

Cora’s Chicago Pastorate extended over a period of fifty years; more than half of her public life. Her work was doubly important since, because of its location, Chicago was easily accessible to all parts of the United States. From the end of her first visit to England until the end of her earthly life, she was Pastor of the First Spiritualist Society of Chicago, sometimes referred to as the Church of the Soul. It was here that the Soul Teachings were given, which are recorded in Psychopathy. During her Pastorate, it is estimated that she gave 2,500 lectures, which does not include her Class work, her writings and the usual duties required of a Pastor.

Cora Richmond Presents Before Congress of Religions

As part of her class work, Cora developed her now famous Presentation on Spiritalism which she delivered before the Congress of Religions held in Chicago in 1893. This is a masterful presentation based upon the three aspects of Spiritualism; Science, Philosophy and Religion, and it focused the attention of the religious world upon Spiritualism, with each section being presented separately. It remains the finest explanation of Spiritualism extant and the value of this treatise grows with the years. The Board of Directors of the Congress of Religion would not permit the Presentation to be included in the first report of the Congress. It was restored at a later date and is now a matter of record of the proceedings.

Cora Richmond Passes to Spirit 1923

On January 3, 1923, in her eighty-third year at her home in Chicago, Cora Richmond peacefully passed to the Spirit World to join those who had ministered to her and through her for so many years.

Her silver tongued oratory has never been equaled; her clear demonstration of trance psychic power never matched. She lived Spirit, expressed Spirit and her life was dedicated to Spirit. Some one has written, that in the development of every new discovery, one and one alone, is gifted to demonstrate that interpretation. If this be true, surely in the cause of Modern Spiritualism no other name shines so brightly as that of Cora L. V. Richmond.

Cora’s full biography has been republished in a hefty volume and is available now at Interfarfacing.com.

By Kathleen Meadows, M.A., Certified Psychic Reader & Teacher