The following was originally published here on the 11th of June 2020.
On the 1st day of July 1875, a jury of 12 men met in a special term of the Livingston County Court to hear evidence and decide if Charles S. Lyon, a 35 year old resident of Smithland was of unsound mind and, if so, to determine the cause.
Lyon, the son of Harriet Cook and Stephen Lyon, had come under the influence of a different kind of religion and had wandered away from home. His half brother suspected he had gone to Memphis, Tennessee where one of the leaders of this religion might be found. Although a reader of general spiritualistic literature, Lyon’s relatives believed that the immediate cause of his insanity was the reading of Dr. Samuel Watson’s works on that subject. Lyon was found in the bottom lands across from Memphis and was brought back to Smithland to determine the condition of his mind. [1] The jury, after hearing the evidence, rendered the following verdict: “We the Jury find that Charles S. Lyon … is of unsound mind, that he is a Lunatic … lost his mind about the 13th day of May 1875, that the probable cause from the evidence, was Spiritualism, Religion and Love.”[2] E.G. Leeper was appointed to convey Lyon to the Lunatic Asylum in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. We do not know if Lyon continued his interest in Spiritualism, but we do know that Lyon lived in the Asylum until his death 37 years later. His remains were returned for burial near his relatives in Smithland Cemetery.
What was this Spiritualism that was given as a reason in Charles S. Lyon being declared insane? Wikipedia describes Spiritualism as a religious movement based on the belief that the spirits of the dead exist and have both the ability and inclination to communicate with the living. Some people believed in elements of this movement that later became known as Spiritualism, but there was no organized movement prior to 1848. Also, there was no formal text outlining the principles of Spiritualism. “Spiritualists believe in the possibility of communication with the spirits of dead people, with whom they regard as ‘discarnate humans.’ They believe that spirit mediums are gifted to carry on such communication, but that anyone may become a medium through study and practice.” They believe spirits are capable of growth and perfection, progressing through higher spheres or planes … The two beliefs – that contact with spirits is possible, and that spirits may dwell on a higher plane – lead to a third belief, that spirits can provide knowledge about moral and ethical issues, as well as about God and the afterlife. Many believers therefore speak of ‘spirit guides’ … [3]
During the early years the fundamentals of Spiritualism were spread mainly through magazines, lectures and camp meetings and many of the speakers were women. One of the early leaders was the Rev. Dr. Samuel Watson. In 1875, he published Volume 1 of The Spiritual Magazine. A prominent member of the Methodist church for 30 years, Dr. Watson chose to sever his connection with the Methodist church in favor of his strong belief in Spiritualism. Dr. Watson was living in Memphis in 1875, the same year Charles S. Lyon wandered off to that city. [4]
It was “A Sad Case,” when Charles S. Lyon was judged to be of unsound mind because of “Spiritualism, Religion and Love.” Was he, indeed, of unsound mind or was he simply practicing a different kind of religion? Lyon was not the only person in the area who espoused Spiritualism. Peter H. Conant of Smithland (1809-1890) was also a believer in this religion. According to his obituary, he was “a Spiritualist and an earnest believer in the faith.” [5] “The Conant family belonged to a religious group that did not believe in marking the graves of its dead. Many of the family members were buried in a sand bank on the left of Highway 60 that now runs from the town of Smithland to the Cumberland River bridge.”[6] His burial place is unknown.
Robert Dale Owen of New Harmony, Posey County, Indiana was also a Spiritualist. Owen (1801-1890) was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives, wrote about his personal and political views and published two books. His family is found throughout New Harmony’s history. Another well-known Spiritualist was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) who was interested in many subjects, including the paranormal and those of a mystical nature, but is perhaps better known as the creator of the character, Sherlock Holmes.
Spiritualists are still found in all segments of society with some having websites and online videos explaining their beliefs.
[1] “A Sad Case,” Daily Louisville Commercial (Louisville, Ky), Fri., 9 July 1875, p. 4, GenealogyBank, accessed 1 June 2020.
[2] Lunacy Record, Charles S. Lyon, Livingston County Loose Court Clerk’s papers, Box 19, July term 1875, Livingston County Court Clerk, accessed 2008.
[4] S. Watson. The Spiritual Magazine, Volume 1, (Memphis, TN: Boyle & Chapman, 1975) Google Books, accessed 4 June 2020.
[5] “A Sad Case,” Daily Louisville Commercial, 9 July 1875, p. 4.
[6] Leslie McDonald. Echoes of Yesteryear, (Smithland, KY: Livingston County Historical and Genealogical Society, Smithland, Kentucky, 1972) 105-106.
Published again 1 Dec 2022, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/
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