The experiences of the Fox family while living in the Hydesville cabin have been written about numerous times. Part I of my blog was based on Harry Boddington’s account. But we do have affidavits that were published within weeks of the original experiences on March 31, 1848. These personal testimonies were related to an attorney from a nearby town and published by E.E. Lewis in 1848.
In Margaret Fox’s statement, she explained how they had moved into the house December 11, 1847. They first heard the strange rapping noises two weeks before the testimony was taken. The entire family slept in the same room and all heard the noises together.
“The first night that we heard the rapping, we all got up and lit a candle; and searched all over the house,” she said. “The noise continued while we were hunting, and was heard near the same place all the time. It was not very loud, yet it produced a jar of the bedsteads and chairs, that could be felt by placing our hands on the chair or while we were in bed. It was a feeling of a tremulous motion, more than a sudden jar. It seemed as if we could feel it jar while we were standing on the floor. It continued this night until we went to sleep. I did not go to sleep until nearly 12 o’clock. The noise continued to be heard every night.”
On Friday, March 31st, they heard the noises earlier in the evening. This was the first time the girls tried to mimic the sounds by snapping their fingers. It was then they found that the rapping would also mimic their movements. “Then I spoke and said to the noise, ‘Count ten,’ and it made ten strokes or noises,” Mrs. Fox said. “Then I asked the ages of my different children successively, and it gave a number of raps, corresponding to the ages of my children.”
When she asked if it was human, it did not respond. But when she asked it to respond with two raps if I was spirit, it rapped twice distinctly. “When I asked how many years old it was?” she stated, “it rapped 31 times; that it was a male; that it had left a family of five children; that it had two sons and three daughters, all living. I asked if it left a wife? and it rapped. If its wife was then living? no rapping; if she was dead? and the rapping was distinctly heard how long she had been dead? and it rapped twice.”
At that moment, Ms. Fox suggested they call the neighbors to come witness the rapping. Mrs. Redfield, their next door neighbor came immediately. At first she thought it was a joke or a trick. “It told her age exactly,” Mrs. Fox said. “She would then call her husband, and he came; and the same questions were asked over again, and the answers were the same as before.”
Mr. Redfield invited Mr. Duesler and several others to the house. Mrs. Fox said, “A great many questions were asked over, and the same answers given as before. Mr. Duesler then called in Mr. and Mrs. Hyde; they came, and also Mr. and Mrs. Jewell. Mr. Duesler asked many questions and got the answers.”
Continued: Part III Hydesville, NY
Reference: A REPORT OF THEMYSTERIOUS NOISES, HEARD IN THE HOUSE OF JOHN D. FOX, IN HYDESVILLE, ARCADIA, WAYNE COUNTY, AUTHENTICATED BY THE CERTIFICATES, AND CONFIRMED BY THE STATEMENTS OF THE CITIZENS OF THAT PLACE AND VICINITY.PUBLISHED BY E.E. LEWIS. PRINTED ON THE POWER PRESS OF SHEPARD & REED, Over Nos. 20, 22, & 24 State-Street, Rochester. 1848.