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Andrew Jackson Davis (1826-1910), an American Spiritualist, was .born at Blooming Grove, New York. According to Arthur Conan Doyle, as a boy, Davis heard voices in the fields giving him what appeared to be good advice. When his mother died, he had a vision of a lovely home in a bright land. He assumed it was where his mother had gone (Doyle I 43).

Then a traveling showman came by and practiced mesmerism on Davis, finding him to have great clairvoyant powers. Whereupon, a tailor in the district quit his trade and spent his time working with Davis to further the use of the boy's clairvoyance, which Davis used at that time for medical purposes, claiming that he could see the organs inside people's bodies and so observe the source of the problems. In addition, for the amusement of local people, he, while blindfolded, read letters which members of the audience had brought in (43,44).

Proving to be a failure as a shoemaker or merchant and finding little success in healing, in time Davis became involved in more serious work in his spiritualistic field. He wrote a number of books and pamphlets, among which are Principles of Nature, Her Divine Revelations, and a Voice to Mankind in 1847; The Great Harmonia ( 1850-52); and The Philosophy of Spiritual Intercourse in1856 (Ruchames IV 450). Much of his teaching was made available in his The Univercoelum (Doyle 54), mentioned in one of Abby Kelley Foster's letters to Milo Townsend. Davis' belief that spiritual regeneration and social reconstruction should proceed together (Ruchames 450) seems, combined with Fourierism, to be a major force behind the Blue Anchor community plan of which Milo Townsend became an enthusiastic supporter. In her letter below, Jane Nicholson reflects some of Milo Townsend's thinking on the subject. For further information on this spiritualistic community movement, see chapter 25 on Milo Adams Townsend.

Davis was married twice.. Silona, who is mentioned in letter 158 below, died in 1853 (Merrill V 102; Ruchames IV 450)). In 1855 Davis married Mary F. Robinson Love, who had divorced her first husband.

Among the terms which Davis introduced to the movement was Summerland , his name for Paradise. He was also the inventor of the system of Lyceum schools with their elaborate organization (Doyle I 59). These became an important part of the cooperative community movement.

He was, however, prone to the use of very difficult terminology and to the invention of new words when those available did not express what he wanted to say. This made much of his writing obscure (54).

Davis contributed greatly to the development of organized Spiritualism in this country, leaving a deep mark on the movement. From 1860-1864 he and Mary published the Herald of Progress for the Spiritualist movement (Merrill V 102).

Evidently Milo had written a letter of glowing praise for Spiritualism as well as a a request for literature on the topic. Davis replied as follows:

Letter 158

From Andrew Jackson Davis

Brooklyn, Long Island, N.Y.

Milo A. Townsend Esq.

Dear Brother:

Your kind and affectionate letter is before me-- I would have responded ere this had I not (with Silona-- my wife) been absent for five weeks on a visit to Boston.

It is pleasing and encouraging to receive such a testimony as your soul presents concerning the truth and revealments of the New Philosophy. I am glad to hear that the Revelation, which came through my spirit to mankind, has reached your spirit in this era of the world; and I rejoice that you find it "a great rock" upon which to repose in safety, and an everlasting "Fountain of living Waters" from which you can drink and "thirst not again," or, if you thirst, to again drink without exhausting the original source.

I do not any more render psychological examinations; for my spirit is perpetually engaged in communicating the various & mighty truths with which it is hourly impressed. I send you a paper containing an account of my occupations.

Besides the "Medical Work ," I have consented to the publication of a pamphlet entitled "The Philosophy of Special Providences ," which will be ready for circulation by the 20th of this month.-- I feel that it will correct much error and do much good upon the subject. If I had a copy I would send it with this letter. The pamphlets will retail at 15 or 20 cents per copy. If you think you can dispose of 15 or twenty-five copies you can obtain them by sending your order to Fowlers and Mells Clinton Hall N.Y. Inquire for my pamphlets "on Special Providences ."

The charts are too large to send by mail. If there is an express to your village, please let me know, and I will send a chart forthwith.

When my "Medical Work " is ready you can obtain it at I.S. Redfields, or Fowlers, Clinton Hall.

With much paternal Love I remain,

A.J. Davis

Friend Bidder will please accept my inmost acknowledgement for his kind endorsement of your expressed sentiments. I shall be most happy to see him when circumstances will permit him to visit me.

In Love, A. J. D.

January 5, 1850

One of Milo's correspondents, Jane Nicholson, wrote of Davis' relationship with Mary. As the letter also casts some light on Milo's activities, it is quoted in full here.

Letter 113

from Jane Nicholson

Harveysburgh 4th of March

Kind & Respected Friend,

I received thy acceptable letter in due time for which I feel grateful for the good feelings & information it contained -- thee seems like a brother in all good feelings for the welfare of the human race & one that has the capacity, mind & strength to be very useful to society -- or forming a more congenial one in some kind of association if it was only for those that felt attracted to each other's society could settle in a neighborhood together & enjoy more of life than to be scattered & isolated -- though there would be great savings of labour in combination in pecuniary concerns.

But as thee says as there are but few now on earth that are sufficiently Developed for the true social & Harmonic life...! but is there not a very few that could combine in part -- and as they could harmonize in some thing they could advance with caution.

I presume thee is right in thinking Spiritualism is to do a great work toward uniting & harmonizing the world. It is surely giving great promise of a mighty work to be done -- And when men & Angels do combine in good faithful earnest to do the requirements of heaven they can accomplish much - As to the books thee spoke of writing I feel a deep interest in particular the Battle for Bread . That is a subject that would be very useful & instructive I don't doubt but thee could do it justice -- Try it . And the Mission of life is also a very worthy & useful subject & thee could give much light & beauty on our Mission of Life & how to perform the Mission to the good of the Divinity -- When thee has a mission this way thee will find our home 40 miles north East of Cin , 4 miles from Corwin a depot on the Miami Rail Road-- It would be a feast to have thee & wife come -- Mary F. Robison [sic.] left here two weeks since she was here 4 weeks -- And the last week she was here A.J. Davis come-- I don't know how much of her life & position thee is intimate with or whether thee was an intimate Friend that knew of Davis & her correspondence-- No matter thee is a Friend to the good & true. They had never been in each others company but once & that was before she left Mr. Love but she has made him her confident & counselor in times of trial -- & then he was impressed to look through her spiritually & found in her spirit that harmony that corresponded to his soul & when she came here she informed him where she was-- he was on a tour west & when at Cleveland he came down on purpose to see her. The meeting seemed very congenial & they consider themselves united in spirit & will proclaim it to the world next October but thee can help keep the secret if it is called a secret-- he spent near a week with us-- he is quite pleasant & agreeable I think he has more intellect than I expected to find from the accounts we have had of him.

Perhaps thee is personally acquainted with him -- he & Mary seem very happy in each other-- Mary said she never expected to be as happy-- not even in heaven as she is now --

It done me good to see her so happy for she had passed through tribulation & had often thought nothing but death could relieve-- she has started west lecturing expects to go home in next month to her children-- Davis went back to Cleveland-- does not expect to visit us soon again he did not lecture here.

With true respect

Jane Nicholson

Mary Love, Davis' second wife, corresponded with Milo Townsend both before and after her marriage to Davis, her first letter to Milo being dated August, 1854.

That Milo became rather well known to A.J. Davis is evidenced in the following excerpt from an undated {the first page is missing) letter from Ellen Angier, a friend of the Townsend family:

"A.J.D. and his Mary dined here a day or two ago. He spoke of you, said you were a very kindly, genial person. That it was good to go to you, take off ones coat and get warm . He brought up the eulogy by saying that you responded very readily to sentiment -- more readily than to theories. Turning to Mr. P. he said, "Did you ever see Milo's handwriting? He is a beau-ti-ful writer-- crosses all the t's with a sort of wavy dance." So now, Milo, you have it on the authority of the first people in the land that your letters are the poetry of motion. Don't forget to dance them over this way as often as possible..."

In the same letter, Ellen offered Milo some advice: "Milo, in your prayers don't forget to offer thanks that you had sense enough to marry a woman with fine feelings done up in sunshine...."

From this it would appear that the Townsend household was full of warmth; Milo apparently glowing like a well tended fireplace and Elizabeth radiating the warmth of the sun.

In 1859 Milo engaged in a controversy with a Mr. Hamlen, who opposed Spiritualism. This dispute was carried out through a series of articles printed in the New Brighton Times . The subject of the following letter to Milo from A.J. Davis appears to be this series of articles.

Letter 89

From Andrew Jackson Davis

OFFICE OF BROWN'S WATER FURNACE COMPANY

No. 274 CANAL STREET (Near Broadway)

New York, 22d Oct., 1859

Dear Spirit Brother!

I have but a moment this morning in which to thank you from the bottom of our One Heart for the manly words of Truth and Justice written by you in our behalf.

We rejoiced to get your letter, and to read the noble bearing and adamant pointedness of your replies to your assailant.

The only consideration which reconciles me to the bringing of personal affairs into Controversy is, the inseparable relation of them to the best & most desirable class of moral truths, as in this instance. On all these matters, however, you read me aright-- and my "Mary" (your loving friend) joins me in returning a note of thanks--

I do not know when we can visit you & yours. Let us hear from you when ever you can not help it!

Forever the same (in Progress)

Milo A. Townsend Andrew J. Davis

In a letter signed "A.J. & Mary F. Davis," dated November 20, 1869, the Davises wrote that they were "not directly needed in the Spiritualistic field." Instead they had become involved in other work, the nature of which was not stated.

On April 25, 1870, Mary F. Davis wrote, "I am now engaged in the Woman Suffrage Cause and tonight we have a meeting at Irvington, N.Y." In this, the last extant letter from the Davises, there is no mention of A.J.'s occupation at that time.