Items

• Letter to Joseph Peace Hazard, 1889-04-09

  Colby, Luther (1814-1894)
  

  Letter responding to inquiry regarding Mrs. Hull, who holds private sittings in Boston. Includes post-script regarding Dr. Slade, a "drunk" medium in Maine: "What a pity it is that our psychics, after - like an unruly cow - giving plenty of milk, then kick the pail over! - Mrs. Sawyer is another kicker. We must drop such mediums, don't you think so?"
  

• Letter to Joseph Peace Hazard, 1889-02-16

  Colby, Luther (1814-1894)
  

  Letter acknowledging Hazard's donation to "God's Poor Fund" and relaying message from Hazard's brother Thomas, "now a resident of the Spirit World" who "would like to communicate privately" through Colby's office's new medium, Mrs. Smith.
  

• Letter to Joseph Peace Hazard, 1889-02-12

  Colby, Luther (1814-1894)
  

  Letter describing "needy and sick Spiritualists and mediums" and recommending working mediums. Includes instructions to send lock of hair to a healing medium if medical treatment is needed.
  

• Letter to Luther Colby, 1889-05-03

  Hazard, Joseph Peace (1807-1892)
  

  Letter regarding eulogy for Mr. Ayer, builder of "The Spiritual Temple" in Boston. Includes Hazard's thoughts on the Christian Church's beliefs in "the reality of Spiritual Manifestations of today, though most of them are opposed to them"; and notes that medical doctors "abhor 'Spiritual Healing Mediums'" due to the competition for patients.
  

• Letter to Mrs. F.W. Masters, 1891-02-08

  Hazard, Joseph Peace (1807-1892)
  

  Letter attesting to Hazard's personal experiences and belief in Spiritualism--that Hazard "never felt any apprehension of fraud at any of the thousands of Spiritual Seances" he had attended--and notes that the presence of skeptics at authentic seances may be "detrimental". Discusses experiences at private seances. Includes account of being knocked over by the "Materialized Spirit" of a friend the night before he received notice of his friend's death.
  

• Letter to Luther Colby, 1890-11-11

  Hazard, Joseph Peace (1807-1892)
  

  Letter regarding the "Haunted house" in Wilmington, Delaware, which Hazard had mentioned to the Seybert Commission. Mentions Hazard's friendship with Henry Seybert. Includes account of John Ladd, a Newport carpenter-turned-"Spiritual Medium" who was summoned to Chicago to treat two "Invalids" and would be paid $2,000 for his services.
  

• Letter to Henry Bede, 1890-09-20

  Hazard, Joseph Peace (1807-1892)
  

  Letter in which Hazard, at 83 1/2 years of age, expresses a "wish to be on the other side, so soon as I can arrange my affairs." Includes account of the "Palatine Ship", a ghost ship apparition around Block Island.
  

• Letter to Mr. and Mrs. Samuel G. Ward, 1890-07

  Hazard, Joseph Peace (1807-1892)
  

  Letter discussing Spiritualism within the Hazard family, including employment of healing mediums by Rowland G. Hazard. Includes account of "the Banshee" and Hazard's travels in Italy and Ireland.