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Curated by: Astonishing Legends (223 videos)
Original Airdate 08.29.2021 (On Podcast Audio Platforms) We often wonder when was the first time a now well-known phenomenon first occurred or was recorded. In the instance of spiritual possession, at least in the United States, we may have an answer in the case known as “The Watseka Wonder.” Indeed, if such a condition exists, it’s likely people have been claiming or appearing to be possessed by a supernatural force since human beings existed. However, many cite the Watseka story as the first well-documented example of a person appearing to have been taken over by a deceased human spirit. This historical incident also benefits from the thorough documentation from a credible source. At the time, a physician and Spiritist, Dr. E. Winchester Stevens, treated his patient experiencing the possession and wrote about the bizarre events soon after they occurred in a book he titled, The Watseka Wonder. Stevens’ report details the story of Mary Lurancy Vennum, who began to suffer from cataleptic-like seizures at the age between thirteen and fourteen years old. On July 11, 1877, the first attack happened where Lurancy passed out on the floor and remained unconscious for five hours. The “fit,” as it was called back then, happened the next day as well, except that this time while in something of a trance, she spoke of being in heaven and in the company of various spirits. She described some of these spirits as angels and claimed to talk to a departed sister and a brother who died when Lurancy was just 3. Her episodes occurred in greater frequency by January of the following year, some lasting from an hour to eight hours and as many as twelve times per day. Her religiously orthodox parents and the numerous doctors that examined her feared she had become insane, and the only option left was to have her committed to an asylum. However, a respected, casual acquaintance of the Vennum family, Asa B. Roff, became intrigued by Lurancy’s condition and instead convinced her parents to let Dr. E. W. Stevens treat the girl using Spiritist methods. To everyone’s astonishment, Lurancy then started to behave like she was inhabited by the soul of Roff’s daughter Mary. Mary Roff had passed away more than a decade before Lurancy was born. Join us tonight for Part 1 of our series, where we cover the circumstances of perhaps America’s first acknowledged case of “spirit infestation,” known as “The Watseka Wonder.” Visit our webpage at the link below for this episode and access a lot more information about it, including research links, articles, and images. https://www.astonishinglegends.com/al-podcasts/2021/8/29/ep-215-the-watseka-wonder-part-1 And SUBSCRIBE on your favorite Podcast Platform and FIND US on Social at: https://linktr.ee/astonishinglegends Chapters: 00:00:00 - An Astonishing Legend Begins 00:04:22 - The Return of the Pint Glasses and Other Announcements 00:08:07 - A Mysterious Case of Possession and Personality Disorders 00:11:50 - The Title of the Watsika Wonder 00:15:34 - Republishing the Watseka Wonder 00:19:31 - The Story's Origin and Editions 00:23:16 - Exploring One Dream's Audio and Video Learning Experiences 00:27:22 - The Attitude of Debunkers vs. Open-Mindedness 00:31:08 - The Origins and Family Background of Ranci 00:34:59 - Strange Visions and Epileptic Seizures 00:38:38 - The Physical and Mental Health of Rancie 00:42:25 - The Triple Aspect of Spiritism 00:46:24 - Exploring Spiritualism 00:50:09 - The Proximity of the Roth and Venom Families 00:54:04 - Mary Roth's Medical History and Treatment 00:57:58 - Personal Experience with Noom and HelloFresh 01:01:54 - Paranormal Abilities of Mary Roth 01:05:50 - Investigating a Supernatural Event 01:09:58 - The Encounter with a Spirit 01:14:05 - Channeling the Voices of the Dead 01:18:03 - Monsters Among Us Podcast Advertisement 01:21:56 - Dogs as Therapy for Children on the Autism Spectrum 01:25:18 - Making an Appointment with a Spirit 01:29:10 - Recognition of Familiar Faces 01:32:59 - Memories of the Past 01:36:47 - The Eerie Exchange 01:40:30 - Ranci's Recognition of Personal Effects 01:44:20 - Psychic Prediction and Possession with Mary Roth 01:48:06 - The Mystery of Brooklyn 01:51:48 - Return to Normalcy 01:55:59 - Closing Credits