Though the following might at first appear to be an alternative history fantasy, these are actual historical documents, though condensed.
In 1752 Jemima Wilkinson, eighth of twelve children, was born in Cumberland, Rhode Island. In 1776 she fell ill with fever for anywhere from one to three days; sensational accounts claim she had died then came back to life. “The fever being Translated to the head She Rose with different Ideas”–upon waking the old name had been discarded, and they were now the Publick Universal Friend. Within several years the Friend’s ministry established a settlement they called New Jerusalem, on the west side of Seneca Lake in New York; at its peak it had over 260 members and occupied tens of thousands of acres. Famous for being the first American-born female leader of a religious movement, this “genderless,” confident young preacher in men’s robes and bearing a “croaky, masculine-feminine voice” is now recognized as the country’s first queer religious leader. While the Friend seems never to have written any documents herself, the archives are filled with letters, legal documents, ledgers, and ephemera from members and visitors, including no small number of dreams and visions as well as a “death book” detailing the dates and time of day that members “left time.” The following collage-like condensation of the ample documents, part of a longer work, is comprised of excerpts from the more than 1000 pages of Cornell University’s Wilkinson Papers (microfilms #357, #621) and the Yates County History Center. The Friend left time on “1 of the 7 Mo 1819” and was buried in an unmarked grave known only to several members of the settlement, the location still unknown.
The four facsimile pages in the text each contain a passage from one of the four sections of the text-collage. Each of the images offers a taste of what’s there. I chose images that are of letters by members of the settlement; many of the dreams were transcribed by an unknown archivist in a spiral notebook. I prefer the look of the old original documents.)
I. to hold a possessery there
30 th of the 12 month 1786 Cold morning
yet pleasant we ride on to the delawre
the people hospitable and kind we
cross the river. it puts me in mind of death
saw Some people that I was told had never
Spake a word in their Lives nor Ever
heard a word Spoke. I Congratulate their
happy Lot Since they have no Idle words
to Inhance the mighty Sum which they
Owe to Omnipotence
17 day Once more my Soul
the rising day Salutes
my waking Eyes Once more
my Voice thy tribute
to him that rools the Skies
I have met with nothing So Edefying as the
Sight of a funeral procession and
blood to bow
O this heart this
Ungrateful heart of mine. O what poor
returns I make
after Sitting at fr d Millers
I go to Beyerles Eat Oysters drink wine
what wonderfull kindness these people
treat me with
Oh, what a Contrast we Came to a place of Desolation indeed
not one Soul at home Except a handful of poor Children
that were as if they had been forgot of god and disregarded by man
a drunken Servant among them and Every thing heap on heap
So dirty there was Scarce room to Stand much Less to Sit
am feeble in body to day but do not
Like to harp upon the Complaining
I hate the wicked world more
and more yet I must Clip
the wings of my wishes for they cary
me north 4 Hundred miles before I
am aware of it
O! Its too much to attempt utterance!
I am for peace but when I speak they all declare
for war
I desire a town where I may dwell
and be one to hold a possessery there
for I am weary of them that hate peace
II. vickery
third Day of the first Mo 1812 in the morning
the vision, which was on this wise:
the Sun began to withdraw its shining
the friends began to take the alarm
The Friend saw in a dream two armes drawn up to battle
and fout with bayneets
and killed each other in most dreadful manner
there a peared in the west a large sickal
ponted toard the south
The Friend heard it sed: son of man speak
to every feathered fowl
she dreamed a man come with a flag
sed vickery vickery vickery
The Friend dreamed there was a great women head
which taulked
sed it was agoen to have its body again
she dreamed there was a fine frost apeared
in the north skies
then the tops of the treas
on top some letters ware riten
the Friend dreamed that everything was cut short
that the hair was cut short and that the time
for siners to Repent was cut short
and that the time was no longer
than from midnight to mid day
The U Friend saw in a Dream or Vision
a learge pair of Scales let down to the earth,
the cords held out of sight by an invisible hand
to weigh the Mountains and the hills in a Balance
there came a man for about 10 feet high
cloathd in a garment down to the feet of a Scarlet Coular
dipt in blood
and wrapping his mantle 3 times said
tidings tidings tidings
I dreampt I was standing out at the door east side of the house
and see two very large white horses fighting
they were very fat, and appeared exceeding fierce
with the froth flying out of their mouths
I dreampt I was shut up in a room by myself
a large pine Cupboard in one corner
little troughs set up for horses to eat in
there appeared a man clothed in black
who opened the door and let into the room
a pale horse and then disappeared
the horse looked very poor, I took hold
of the bridle and lead him round the room and fed him
he kept treading upon my clothes
and held me fast
so that I was obliged to wait
which is the last I remember of it
I saw in a dream on the 7 of the 3 Mo 1820
about 8 a clock in the morning
it begin to grow dark
and soon become quite dark!
3. Hatchet Teeth
I am Sorrowful in the evening have
had a Vision
and I Came unto the Hous
It Seemed unto me uery dirty, and torn in peesis
and when I had Comin to it
I went threw a trapdore into the Sellow
— it was dirty —
and it was told me that the Kings of the earth was Buried there
a Multitude came out of their holes laying hands
on J.P. and myself they threatened many horrid things
having in their hands sharp knives threatening
what Modesty forbids to name
a Company of people having a gallows prepared
and waiting for us intending that we should be hanged thereon
and indeed they were numerous
I was strengthened to go forward but soon
there was placed in the Path Some
thing like Hatchet teeth which I
my feet by this time tracked the floor with Blood
and were much wounded
the house was beset about with Enemys Crying
Bring out them People to us that we may
do as Seemth good unto us
with them declaring many things not fit to Be spoken
a Pallace and Chariots and horses stood before the door
which I asked the Occasion of was told by one running in great hast
the emperor with his attendants were going out to take the Air
and speaking to the Friend Said “you and your Scabby Attendants
had better move off soon for the Prince will ride this way
make your Escape soon or you will be cut in peices immediately”
the gawrds were armed with weapons of war and were numerious
the Emperor biding them destroy “that hateful Shepherd on yonder hill”
and bring him the best of the flock
for he would have a feast that night of the fattest of them Lambs
then directing his Servents one of them which I knew to be W.S.
to go and fetch him J.P. and S.R. for that he would have their flesh
roasted for Supper
this Servent of his grined with a horrid gag
they were about to Carry us to prison
when Suddenly there Came from the Wilderness
a gentle Brize of wind which to us was warm and Refreshing
but to them it was Destroying
and filled them with Agues and trembling in all their joints
which increased till Death appear’d in their faces
and Soon their Eyes were Closed and their Breath gone
I beheld something proceeding from The Friend’s mouth like
Smoke of a purple Couler, and heard a Voice
like distant thunder “Father
and the Chariots wheels droped off and the horses fell dead under their riders
and the foot men Stumbled and fell and I beheld the Friend give Command
to the Friends to keep their ranks and go foward and take possession of the place
then I saw the Friends in great number walking on the ruins
Stamping them small with their feet
small as the dust of the Earth
4. the curved door
the 27 of the 9 Mo something very remarkable
a lite in the North
this on the 12 of 10 Mo 1819
some white rainbow
one foot in the weast
other in the east
the sun shun clear
the earth appear’d parch’d and dry
then all these people fell into a deep Sleep
and the Writing
was Drawing
a Little Child raised
up I think by an allmighty power
there seemed to be a great number of Trees & Stones
I have entertained angels unawares
O! Anna be a Doer of the word and not a hearer only
Go forth to the curved Door
where poison’d Ghosts enter no more
Adore!
Image: portrait of Jemimah Wlikinson from David Hudson’s 1844 memoir of her. Public Domain.
