Cooper, Margaretta S. (ca. 1850)
Cooper, Margaretta S. (ca. 1850)
Early nineteenth century American medium and daughter of La Roy Sunderland. In July 1850 Sunderland, a former Methodist minister turned magnetist-lecturer, launched from Boston one of the first periodicals devoted to reports on Spiritualism, the Spiritual Philosopher. In the first issue he expressed some doubts about the validity of spiritual rappings, but a few weeks later his daughter Margaretta became a medium. In October 1850 Sunderland wrote:
"The manifestations of the spirit world have been continued in our own family in Charlestown, and our office in Boston, with increasing and wonderful interest…. The mysterious sounds have been made in nearly all the rooms in our house, and have been heard at different times by different people."
Sources:
Cupron, E. W. Modern Spiritualism: Its Facts and Fanaticisms. Boston: B. Marsh; New York: Partridge and Brittan, 1855.