Our Nig

by Harriet E. Wilson

  1868: October 17. XXIV/5: 3. “Lecturers’ Appointments and Addresses”: Wilson is listed as located in Maine: “Mrs. Hattie E. Wilson, W. Garland, Maine.”

  1868: November 7. XXIV/8: 3. Listed as booked to speak in Marlboro’, Mass., November 22 and Putnam, Conn., “during December.”

  1868: December 5. XXIV/12: 4. The Banner noted: “Marlboro’, Mass. Mrs. Hattie E. Wilson, the colored trance speaker, has recently lectured in Marlboro’ to the very general satisfaction of her audience, we are informed by a correspondent. She gave utterance to many great truths of Spiritualism in a manner that reached the comprehension at once. Our correspondent says her lecture was superior to the efforts of the reverend-divines in that place, and that people are anxious to have her visit them again.”

  1868: December 12. XXIV/13: 3. Listed as relocated in Boston (and therefore no longer in Maine): “Mrs. Hattie E. Wilson, 70 Tremont street, Boston.”

  1869: January 2. XXIV/16: 3. Listed as booked to speak in Marblehead, Mass., January 10 and 17. Wilson pays for another advertisement, in semi-display format: “MRS. HATTIE E. WILSON / Trance Physician and Healing Medium No. 70 Tremont street, Boston. Office Hours from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M. After office hours will visit patients in their own homes, if desired” (7).

  1869: January 23. XXIV/19: 5. Advertisement appears announcing “MRS. HATTIE E. WILSON, / TRANCE PHYSICIAN / Has returned to this city, and will be happy to meet her friends in her rooms, No. 27 Carver street, four doors from Boylston street, Boston.” This advertisement also appears the following week.

  1869: February 6. XXIV/21: 3. The Banner erroneously lists Wilson as still living at 70 Tremont Street—an error repeated the following week.

  1869: February 13. XXIV/22: 3, 4. Despite listing her address incorrectly on page 3, the Banner also carries the correct address in its “Lecturers’ Appointments” column: “H. E. Wilson will speak in East Boston, Feb. 4th; in Marblehead, the 21st and 28th; in Putnam, Conn, through the month of April. Letters directed to No. 27 Carver street, Boston” (4). This address and the information about her appointments, as before, are regularly repeated until the listing needs to change.

  1869: March 6. XXIV/25: 4. In its “Movements of Lecturers and Mediums” column, the Banner notes: “Mrs. Hattie E. Wilson will speak for the Boston Christian Spiritualists, March 7th and 14th.”

  1869: May 29. XXV/11: 7. A further advertisement is placed by Wilson: “HATTIE E. WILSON, Trance Physician, has taken rooms at 27 Carver street. Chronic disease treated with great success. Herb packs and manipulations included in the mode of treatment.” This advertisement appeared for several weeks, up to and including June 19 (XXV/13: 7).

  1869: July 3. XXV/16: 3. Address listing notes change of address to 36 Carver Street.

  1869: July 10. XXV/17: 7. Advertisement appears: “HATTIE E. WILSON, Trance Physician, No. 36 Carver street, Boston,” to publicize the address change. This advertisement continues to appear up to and including August 28, 1860 (LXV/24: 7).

  1869: August 14. XXV/22: 3. Listed as booked to speak in “Willimantic, Conn., Aug. 15, in Salem, Mass., Aug. 22, in Marblehead through the month of January.”

  1870: July 2. XXVII/16: 5. In the column “Spiritualist Lyceums and Lectures,” Wilson is noted as addressing the Boston Mercantile Hall Lyceum. This seems to be the first occasion that the Banner notes involvement by Wilson in the spiritualist lyceum movement, rather than on the spiritualist lecture circuit. Her name in this reference is wrongly printed as Hattie A. Wilson.

  1870: November 12. XXVIII/8: 2–3. A report on the “Massachusetts Spiritual Convention at Haverhill” makes extended references to Wilson’s involvements. She participated three times. On the first occasion “Mrs. Hattie E. Wilson Robinson” was merely “called upon, and, coming upon the platform, was entranced and spoke briefly.” The remaining two contributions were more fully reported: “Mrs. Hattie E. (Wilson) Robinson, formerly Hattie Wilson, gave a narrative of her development as a medium, by which she had been brought into acquaintance with her father in spirit-life, who was her almost constant companion. He had told her, in detail, the circumstances of her early life, and upon inquiry of the persons named by him, still living … found them correct in every particular. Although opposing to becoming a medium at first, and disbelieving in the purported origin of the power that controlled her, yet she was finally convinced by seeing an old school-mate, who was dead several years, standing by her bedside, who conversed with her as naturally as those who appear about her in the material world. Doubting, to her is impossible, and has been for many years; and when your spiritual sensibilities are opened, you will know the spirit-world is not afar off, in space, but here in our midst; and that spirits are not bodiless beings, but with us in our homes. Spiritualism has aroused me from my indifference and given me an interest in life—to be something and do something for others. Her entire story was deeply affecting, and won implicit confidence in its truth, by the simple natural manner in which all its details were presented” (2–3). Later on in the event, “Mrs. Hattie Robinson [Wilson] followed in deeply interesting remarks, based upon her experience as a medium, affirming the prominence of the relations between parents and children, although death might apparently divide them. Invisible to you, fathers and mothers, are the children, given to you to educate, and your influence affects them spiritually, after they have gone out of your sight, as truly as though they had remained upon the earth. You may be angels to them as well as they to you. If your spiritualist eyes could be opened, as mine frequently are, you would know this to be true. In our homes and in our midst are our children, our parents, our friends, and we mutually act upon each other” (3).

  1871: September 23. XXX/1: 3. The Banner’s “Spiritualist Lyceums and Lectures” column notes that Hattie Wilson “occupied the platform” to the “general acceptance of those attending” the Boylston Street Association’s meeting.

  1871: November 18. XXX/10: 8. The column “Spiritualist Lectures and Lyceums” notes, “The meetings at Temple Hall still continue with unabated interest. Mrs. Hattie Robinson [i.e., Wilson Robinson] gives general satisfaction.” The wording of this probably alludes to the way Wilson Robinson has recently replaced the former Boylston Street Association of Spiritualists, Temple Hall resident medium, Mrs. Bowditch (see October 21, 1871, XXX/5: 3).

  1872: March 9. XXX/26: 5. The “Spiritualist Lyceums and Lectures” column notes a large audience at Temple Hall “greeted” Mrs. Hattie Robinson on “Sunday, February 18th.”

  1872: September 14. XXXI/1: 5. The “Spiritualist Lyceums and Lectures” column notes two forthcoming contributions by Wilson Robinson to the Boylston Street Association of Spiritualists, Temple Hall gathering.

  1873: March 29. XXXII/26: 5. The “Spiritualist Lyceums and Lectures” column notes that Wilson is one of several speakers at Temple Hall.

  1873: April 19. XXXIII/3: 5. Hattie Wilson is named as having been elected as one of the “Leaders” of one of the groups of students forming part of the Temple Hall Independent Children’s Progressive Lyceum.

  1873: April 19. XXXIII/3: 5. The Banner notes that Mrs. Hattie Robinson is one of the speakers at the wedding of the conductor of the children’s lyceum at Boston’s Eliot Hall.

  1873: April 26. XXXIII/4: 5. “Spiritualist Lectures and Lyceums” notes that Hattie Wilson is one of those “Speaking and Reading” at a meeting of the Temple Hall Children’s Lyceum.

  1873: September 6. XXXIII/23: 8. A report on a highly controversial spiritualist camp meeting, begun in August 23, 1873, issue (XXXIII/21: 8), continues. The earlier report explains that this camp meeting, the “Fourth Annual Spiritualist Camp Meeting … 16,000 People Assembled, Silver Lake, Plympton,” on August 16, witnessed Victoria Woodhull speaking out against marriage as “sexual slavery,” only to be opposed by the prominent Spiritualist, Lizzie Doten. This September 6 continuation of the report details how Harriet Wilson Robinson (named as Hattie C. Robinson in error) join Woodhull and others on the stage to sp
eak during the evening “Concluding Session.”

  1873: September 13. XXXIII/24: 5. Wilson is elected as a “Supplementary Leader” at a meeting of the organizers of the Children’s Progressive Lyceum and Library Association No. 1, on September 2, 1873 (just after this lyceum moved to John A. Andrew Hall from Eliot Hall).

  1873: October 11. XXXIV/2: 5. At a wedding at John Andrew Hall, Hattie [Wilson] Robinson is named as one of the wedding guests “contributing a good offering.” This is the last time the name “Robinson” is used to refer to Wilson.

  1874: February 28. XXXIV/22: 4. The Banner notes that “Mrs. Hattie E. Wilson, the well-known trance lecturer, gave an anniversary in honour of her spirit father, on the evening of Friday Feb. 13th, which was attended by a goodly number of friends. The exercises were preluded by a supper at her residence, 46 Carver street, Boston, after which the company adjourned to John Andrew Hall, where remarks appropriate to the hour were offered by Dr. H. B. Storer, George A. Bacon and Dr. A. H. Richardson, the hostess (entranced), making due reply.… The occasion was pleasant to the participants, and one long to be remembered.”

  1874: March 21. XXXIV/25: 5. The “Spiritualist Lectures and Lyceums” column notes that at John A. Andrews Hall “on Sunday morning, March 15th, the session of the Children’s Progressive Lyceum No. 1 was well attended.… Mrs. Hattie Wilson participated in the exercises by reading.”

  1874: April 11. XXXV/2: 1. The Banner covers the “Twenty-Sixth Anniversary Celebration of the Advent Day of Modern Spiritualism: Exercises at John A. Andrew Hall, Boston … and … at New Fraternity Hall and the Parker Memorial,” which included not only speeches by prominent Boston spiritualists, including Miss Lizzie Doten, I. P. Greenleaf, and Dr. H. B. Storer, but also, on “Children’s Day” (the second day), “speeches … to the children by Dr. A. H. Richardson, Hattie E. Wilson and Mrs. Tabor.”

  1874: June 27. XXXV/13: 5. The “Spiritualist Lectures and Lyceums” column reports that “the session of Children’s Lyceum No. 1 at [John A. Andrew Hall] on the morning of Sunday 21st was one of extraordinary interest and pleasure … readings were offered [among others] by Mrs. Hattie Wilson.

  1874: June 27. XXXV/13: 5. The Banner reports, under the heading “A Pleasant Reunion,” that “a number of the friends of Hattie Wilson, the Spiritualist Medium and lecturer, assembled at John A. Andrew Hall on Friday evening, June 12th, to join in friendly converse, listen to speeches, etc.… [and] remarks by Drs. H. B. Storer and A. H. Richardson, the hostess of the evening, who spoke both normally and in trance condition, and others.”

  1874: June 27. XXXV, no. 13: 5. The Banner reports on both a reading given by Wilson at the June 21 meeting of the Children’s Progressive Lyceum No. 1 and a gathering in Wilson’s honor at the John A. Andrew Hall on June 21, 1874.

  1874: July 25. XXXV/17: 4. The “Spiritualist Lectures and Lyceums” column notes that Wilson delivered “an excellent lecture … given by the influences through her organism” at Nassau Hall, July 19, upon the subject “Now and Then.”

  1874: August 1. XXXV/18: 4. The Banner reports (“Silver Lake Camp Meeting”) that Wilson made a “vigorous and entertaining” contribution “under direct spirit control” at a camp meeting sponsored by the Children’s Progressive Lyceum No. 1. In this speech she “analyzed the mental production of the three doctors who had just spoken [Drs. H. B. Storer, A. H. Richardson, and H. F. Gardenr] and very happily recognised the fitness of the special work assigned to them as conductors of this people’s meeting.”

  1874: September 5. XXXV/23: 5. The “Spiritualist Lectures and Lyceums” column, noting that the Children’s Progressive Lyceum No. 1 had increased its attendance, also observed that “Hattie Wilson … made some sensible remarks.”

  1874: September 10. SS I/1: 10. At a dedication of Rochester Hall, the new home of the “Children’s Progressive Lyceum No. 1 … Dr. Storer was the first speaker, and was followed by Dr. Currier, Mrs. Hattie Wilson, John Wetherbee and others.… Mrs. Hattie Wilson was controlled to speak by one who, in years long ago in the spirit-world, had on one occasion with others vowed, by the strongest of vows, to devote years of their existence there to the education of children in this sphere to a proper knowledge of the laws and conditions which governed them. They had since been working with others of our great teachers in the lyceums, and tonight they were present at the dedication of the hall to spiritualism. It might be said re-dedication, for it had been dedicated by years of free thought, until the very floors, the very walls, gave out the influences which should last until there was not one stone left on another. They rejoiced that, in spite of theology, and in spite of all the denunciation, the Lyceum lived, and was doing good in educating the little ones—not cramming them with that which would check their growth intellectually and spiritually, but teaching them those laws which, when obeyed as they would be in times coming, would give a race strong [sic] morally, intellectually, physically, and spiritually, which would glorify the perfect image of that Infinite Creator.”

  1874: September 12. XXXV/24: 5, 8. The column “Spiritualist Lectures and Lyceums” notes that “Mrs. Hattie Wilson” was elected as the leader of the “Lake” group in the Lyceum No. 1 (5): At a “Dedication of Rochester Hall, Boston” ceremony, Wilson participated twice: by singing in a quartet (a rare mention of her performing other than as a trance medium or lyceum leader) and, then, “entranced, [with] the influences controlling adding the good wishes of the disembodied attendants in the dedicatory exercises” (8).

  1874: September 24. SS I/3: 46. “Notes and Notices”: “Children’s Progressive Lyceum No. 1—William A. Williams, Corresponding Secretary, writes … [a] question by the Conductor [of the lyceum], ‘How can we best promote the interest of the Lyceum?’ [was] very ably answered by … Mrs. Hattie Wilson [among others], and eloquently by the assistant conductor, Mr. J. B. Hatch.”

  1874: September 26. XXXV/26: 8. At a meeting called by Victoria Woodhull, the radical spiritualist reformer and sexual liberationist—a “National Mass Meeting of Radicals, Socialists, Infidels, Materialists, Free Religionists and Free Thinkers,” described by the Banner as a “mass meeting of radicals and reformers”—Wilson was to speak, offering “an address of great vigor and enthusiasm upon the conduct of Spiritualists to each other, founded upon personal experience.”

  1874: October 3. XXXVI/1: 5. “Rochester Hall”: “Mrs. Hattie Wilson” was one of three speakers “ably” answering the question, “How can we best promote the interests of the Lyceum?”

  1874: October 22. SS I/6: 6. “Children’s Progressive Lyceum No. 1 … had the usual session … [including] Readings [by] Misses [sic] Hattie Wilson [and] Frank Wheeler.”

  1874: October 24. XXXVI/4: 5. “Rochester Hall”: Lyceum session the Sunday before included a “reading” by “Mrs. Hattie Wilson.”

  1874: October 31. XXXVI/5: 5. “Rochester Hall”: Lyceum session the Sunday before included a “reading” by “Mrs. Hattie Wilson.”

  1874: November 7. XXXVI/6: 5. “Spiritualist Lectures and Lyceums” column announces a “Grand Spiritualist Fair” and the formation of a “Soliciting Committee.” The contact address is given as “Miss [sic] Hattie E. Wilson, 46 Carver st., Boston.”

  1874: November 26. SS I/11: 142. “Notes and Notices”: “A PLEASANT CELEBRATION.… In response to an invitation, a number of gentlemen and ladies assembled in the spacious parlors, 4 Concord Square, to celebrate the ninth anniversary of the public mediumship of Mrs. Mary M. Hardy.… Among those present, and making short addresses were … Mrs. Hattie Wilson.”

  1874: December 12. XXXVI/12: 5. “Spiritualist Lectures and Lyceums” column confirms the “Grand Spiritualist Fair” at Rochester Hall and again names Hattie E. Wilson on the “Soliciting Committee.”

  1874: December 19. XXXVI/13: 8. “Spiritualist Lectures and Lyceums” column again confirms the “Grand Spiritualist Fair” and again names “Hattie E. Wilson.”

  1874: December 26. XXXVI/15: 8. “Mrs. Hattie Wilson” delivered a “rea
ding” in the Children’s Progressive Lyceum No. 1 the Sunday before.

  1875: January 14. SS I/19: 226. “The Red Man’s New Year”: “An anniversary celebration, complimentary to the spirit guides of Mrs. Hattie Wilson, was given by the lady at Rochester Hall, Wednesday evening. J. B. Hatch presided, and introduced the speakers of the evening, among whom were John Wetherbee, Dr. Storer, Dr. Richardson, and also Messrs J. J. Morse and Robert Cooper of England. Mrs. Wilson also spoke, under control, for a few moments. At intervals there was introduced a varied programme of songs, declamations & c. the Alpha Glee Club, of Cambridge, Mr. Sullivan, Miss Edson taking part. After a distribution of presents from the large tree, the exercises closed with a supper and dance,—Carters Band furnishing music for a well arranged order. The conception of this novel and unique entertainment, and the successful manner in which it was carried out, reflect great credit on Mrs. Wilson, whose enterprise and generosity was the subject of commendation among those who were fortunate enough to participate in the enjoyment.”

  1875: January 30. XXXVI/18: 5. “Mrs. Hattie Wilson” delivered a “reading” in the Children’s Progressive Lyceum No. 1 the Sunday before.

  1875: February 6. XXXVI/19: 4. “Surprise Party at the Spiritualist’s Home”: The “friends of Mrs. N. J. Morse” who assembled at her residence included “Mrs. Hattie Wilson.”

  1875: February 20. XXXVI/21: 5. “Rochester Hall”: Lyceum session the Sunday before included a “reading” by “Mrs. Hattie Wilson.”

  1875: April 3. XXXVII/1: 5. At a testimonial to Dr. John H. Currier, Hattie C. [sic] Wilson was among those making speeches of congratulation.

  1875: April 8. SS II/5: 51. “Mrs. Maud E. Lord”: “At the residences of Mrs. Maud E. Lord … a social gathering of her friends [occurred] to express their appreciation of her many pleasing qualities … Dr. H. B. Storer … Mrs. Hattie Wilson … and many others spoke during the evening.”