Séances, scandal and spirits: When Seattle was swept up in a spiritualism craze

SEATTLE - Long before Halloween became synonymous with ghosts and the supernatural, some of Seattle's most prominent pioneers were fascinated by the possibility of communicating with the dead.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, spiritualism was a popular movement that challenged traditional religious beliefs and promised something extraordinary: the chance to reconnect with loved ones who had passed away.

Among those drawn to the movement were Henry and Sarah Yesler, one of Seattle's most influential early couples, whose unusual relationships and fascination with the afterlife made for a remarkable chapter in the city's history.

"The Yeslers were a very unconventional couple, even for back then," said Brad Holden, a historian and author.

Their story includes séances, an astrologer accused of exploiting his followers and an unexpected connection to one of America's most famous authors.

When Seattle believed the dead could speak

The backstory:

Imagine stepping into the parlor of a stately Victorian mansion more than a century ago.

Guests dressed in their finest clothing gather around a table, perhaps wearing top hats, furs and jewels. But this is no ordinary social gathering.

They're hoping to communicate with the dead.

"Kind of what you see in movies. People sitting around a round table," explained Holden, describing a typical séance.

At the center of these gatherings was a medium, someone believed to serve as a bridge between the living and the spirit world.

Holden explained that spiritualists believed the soul continued to exist after death and that the living could communicate with those who had passed on.

"Spiritualism was very popular in America from about the 1850s to the 1920s, 1930s," said Abby Armato with the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation.

Seattle was no exception.

According to Holden, mediums and practitioners of alternative medicine frequently rented rooms in Pioneer Square hotels, advertising their services to anyone hoping to connect with the spirit world.

"So if you look at old newspaper wanted ads at the turn of the century, you see a lot of these ads appear. Like Madame So-and-so, medium for hire," said Holden.

Historic newspaper advertisements also featured clairvoyants, psychic societies and other practitioners offering supernatural services.

Spiritualism wasn't confined to the fringes of society. Some of Seattle's wealthiest and most influential residents were among those who embraced it.

The Yeslers: Free love, séances and a family tragedy

Local perspective:

Henry Yesler was one of Seattle's founding pioneers, a wealthy businessman and former mayor whose influence helped shape the growing city.

But behind the prominent public figure was a private life that challenged many of the social conventions of his time.

Holden said the Yeslers embraced ideas associated with free love, including relationships outside their marriage.

According to Holden, while Sarah remained in Ohio, Henry developed a relationship with a 15-year-old Duwamish girl and fathered a child with her. Sarah, meanwhile, had romantic relationships with other women.

Holden said the couple apparently knew about each other's relationships and accepted the arrangement.

Their unconventional beliefs also extended to religion and the supernatural.

The Yeslers eventually became involved with William Henry Chaney, an astrologer and spiritual adviser who played a significant role in their lives.

Their interest in spiritualism was also connected to a devastating personal loss.

The couple had lost their 15-year-old son, leaving them grief-stricken and searching for comfort.

"They eventually fell under his spell," said Holden.

For grieving parents, spiritualism offered the possibility that death didn't have to mean goodbye.

But Holden said there is evidence that Chaney may have exploited those who trusted him.

"There’s a lot of evidence to indicate that he was a charlatan too. He was kind of taking people for their money," said Holden.

The Yeslers' association with Chaney also led to an unexpected connection to American literary history.

According to Holden, the Yeslers introduced Chaney to a single female friend. The two became romantically involved, and she later followed him to San Francisco.

"They had a son together. He eventually abandoned the family, but the son would later grow up to be Jack London," Holden said.

London would become the celebrated author of The Call of the Wild and other adventure stories.

A movement that challenged Victorian society

Big picture view:

Beyond the séances and supernatural claims, spiritualism also challenged some of the social expectations of the Victorian era.

In a society where men dominated many religious and political institutions, women often held influential positions within the spiritualist movement.

"Knowing that spiritualism was often led by women right? It’s a really women led space," said Armato.

The movement also attracted people interested in alternative medicine and unconventional religious and social ideas.

A glimpse into Seattle's past

History At A Glance:

Today, the Stimson-Green Mansion on Seattle's First Hill offers a glimpse into the kind of elaborate surroundings associated with the city's wealthy residents during the turn of the century.

Built in 1901, the mansion is one of just four remaining historic homes of its kind in a neighborhood that once had approximately 40.

There is no evidence that the Stimson or Green families who lived in the mansion practiced spiritualism. However, the home dates to an era when séances and communication with the dead were part of the broader American cultural conversation.

"Man would I have loved to be a fly on the wall for those seances," said Armanto.

This Halloween season, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation is revisiting that history with programming at the mansion.

The organization is working with a local magician to present a combination magic show and historical lecture exploring American spiritualism. Ghost tours are also planned later in October.

For those curious about Seattle's supernatural past, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation is offering a chance to step back in time. On Oct. 14 and 27, the historic Stimson-Green Mansion will host Listening in the Dark, a combination history lecture and mock séance led by a professional magician. Tickets are $10, with more information available on the Washington Trust's website.

What spiritualism can teach us today

What they're saying:

More than a century after the movement's heyday, traces of spiritualism remain part of popular culture.

One of the most recognizable examples is the Ouija board, which emerged from the spiritualist movement and eventually became a mass-marketed game.

"In some ways, I feel like we really haven’t moved as far away from it as we feel like we have or thought that we have," said Armato.

Despite advances in technology and the conveniences of modern life, Armato believes people continue searching for many of the same things that drew earlier generations to spiritualism.

"I think the things of modernity aren’t satiating us in the same way that maybe we thought they would," she said.

And beneath the elaborate séances, supernatural claims and eccentric personalities was something deeply human.

"Spiritualism, too, at its core, is about grief and about connecting to people that we’ve loved and lost," said Armato.

For Henry and Sarah Yesler, who had lost their teenage son, the possibility of communicating with the dead may have offered a measure of comfort that wealth and influence could not provide.

"So to take those, what I think are natural human instincts to be whisked away from reality, and then adding that layer of grief for the Yeslers, I feel like, ‘Why not?’" she said.

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