Church history

History of Plymouth Spiritualist Church

Plymouth Spiritualist Church is the mother church of modern spiritualism.

Modern Spiritualism came into being on March 31, 1848 due to the Fox sisters, Margaret and Katie Fox, aged 9 and 11, who received proof of continuity of life. The Fox sisters lived in a cottage in Hydesville, NY, about 30 miles from Rochester and heard rappings from within the house and were able to communicate with a man (Charles B. Rosna) who had died. The man said he had been murdered and was buried in the cellar.

His body was found in 1904, between the earth and the crumbling cellar walls. Rosna was apparently a wandering peddler who had been killed in the east room of the house.

The original Plymouth Spiritualist Church building was obtained in 1906 from the Plymouth Congregational Church, built around 1856. We moved into our new Church Building in March of 2003. Church services are currently held at 29 Vick Park A between Park Avenue and East Avenue.

We are the only National Spiritualist Association of Churches-affiliated church in the Rochester area and are not affiliated with any other Spiritualist church in the area, nor endorse their programs.