Cranston, Margaret and Belle Laurie
Mediums
Mrs. Margaret Laurie was born in Washington D. C. as Margaret Ann McCutcheon. In 1830, she married another Washington native, Cranstoun (sometimes spelled “Cranston”) H. Laurie, who had been born in 1808.[1] Cranston Laurie hailed from a prominent Washington family. His father, the Reverend Dr. James Laurie founded the F Street Presbyterian Church….[2] Since the Lincolns attended this church, it is very possible they met the Lauries at church.[3]
In the 1850s, the Cranstoun Laurie family had become devoted Spiritualists. The entire family began to exhibit various “mediumistic” abilities. One of these abilities was that of automatic drawing and painting. Emma Hardinge wrote about their “spirit art” in an essay, noting that their “immense maps, or charts, so to speak, of floral luxuriance [. . .] excited the astonishment and admiration of all beholders.” Some of the paintings rendered by the family were of forms—we would today call them abstract or surreal forms—that appeared to reveal unearthly realities.[4]
The Lauries’ home became a center of spiritualist activity in Washington, where many people—including high Government officials—went to “investigate” Spiritualism.[5]
By 1854 the [Laurie] family had earned the reputation of “being remarkably under the spiritual influence” as Washington, D. C. bureaucrat Benjamin Brown French recorded in his diary.[6] Mr. And Mrs. Laurie were both fine medium [s]….[7]
Cranston Laurie, was more successful than the others. Mrs. Lincoln truly believed she was in contact with their dead sons. Laurie went on to predict that Lincoln had enemies in his cabinet who were going to betray him.[8]
Margaret Laurie’s specialties included contacting spirits of the deceased for messages and using “magnetic” or spiritual powers for healing.
Belle Miller née Laurie used her gifts to produce physical “phenomena,” especially the levitation of the grand piano in their parlor—and pianos elsewhere.[9]
Margaret Laurie, apparently “a formidable figure,” became a regular visitor at the White House, to conduct séances, and, as a kind of broker, to arrange spirit circles for others. She appears to have become an intimate and confidante of Mary Todd Lincoln during this time—and, according to her, of Mr. Lincoln as well, arranging séances for the Lincolns and some of their friends. Lincoln’s aides, she said, cautioned her about the need to protect the President’s public image, and strongly urged her to secrecy about the meetings, as a matter of State security.[10]
It was at the Lauries’ house that President Lincoln first met Nettie Colburn [Maynard (after she married)] and witnessed her mediumship. It was during Nettie's trance message that Spirit strongly encouraged President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
Was He a Spiritualist?
We will learn more about the President Lincoln and the mediumship of the Lauries from an article titled “Was He A Spiritualist? Reminiscences of President Lincoln,” written by Prof. W. H. Chaney, was published in the Relio Philosophical Journal on January 16, 1886. Chaney begins by describing how he met Col. Miller, the husband of the medium Belle Laurie, who would play the piano while it levitated. Chaney became Miller’s representative in a business matter.
Miller met Belle Laurie during a séance at her parents' house. Miller was drawn to Belle because she was such an exceptional medium.
From Colonel Miller, I first learned that Mr. Lincoln had become a Spiritualist shortly after his inauguration. According to Chaney, Lincoln witnessed such strong evidence and phenomena that, after attending several séances, he became a “confirmed Spiritualist.”[11]
One day, Chaney met Belle Laurie Miller at a hotel in Washington to discuss a matter concerning her now ex-husband. Chaney asked Belle if she would play the hotel’s piano to see if it would levitate. Belle hesitated because she felt there were other, more talented pianists present, but she finally agreed. She began playing a march, and the piano started rising and falling to the beat of the music. Chaney noticed that the expression on Belle’s face had changed, as she appeared entranced while playing the levitating piano.
After Belle finished playing the march, Chaney tried to lift the piano with his own hands and found it impossible because the piano must weigh 1000 pounds.
Now Belle and Chaney sat down and had a lengthy conversation. This was when Chaney learned many details about President Lincoln’s experiences at the Lauries’ seances.
According to Chaney, President Lincoln attended “hundreds of seances” where Lincoln took copious notes in his own handwriting, and even signed them with his signature.
There are Chaney’s words verifying that Lincoln was listening to Spirit’s guidance regarding matters of state and war.
“It will be remembered that for a long time matters connected with the war went wrong, but when Washington, La Fayette, Jackson, etc., began to be listened to by Lincoln, things went better. Mr. Lincoln consulted these grand old patriots in matters of state as well as war. Sometimes his cabinet would be unanimous in their opposition to some of the President's measures, but when the spirits assured him he was right, he would hold out against the whole world.”[12]
Chaney also states that he saw Lincoln’s notes written in his well-known handwriting. While it was imperative that all this information be kept secret while it was unfolding, it was Now, over 20 years since these events occurred, and Chaney felt the secrecy could now be lifted.
Jack Laurie
Jack Laurie was Margaret and Cranston Laurie’s son and Belle’s brother. He was not a medium like the rest of his family, but he probably believed in Spiritualism, as shown by his attendance at many seances at his parents’ house.
In a letter published in The Religio-Philosophical Journal on November 28, 1885, Jack Laurie explicitly states that President Lincoln was a regular attendee at his parents' séances, a strong believer in Spiritualism, and took notes during the séances.
Lincoln in the Seance Room.
Washington, D. C., October 31, 1885.
Dear Sir:
I have been requested by your friend, Mr. C. O. Poole, to make a statement in writing regarding what I know of visits, etc., by President Lincoln, at my father’s house for investigation of Spiritualism.
My father, the late Cranston Laurie, was a well known and leading Spiritualist for many years prior to his death, all of which time he resided in or near the city of Washington, and was a clerk in the United States post office, holding the especial office of statistician. My mother and sister were mediums. About the commencement of the year 1862, my father became personally acquainted with late President Abraham Lincoln, and my belief is that through my father’s influence, the President became interested in Spiritualism. I have very often seen Mr. Lincoln at my father’s house engaged in attending circles for spiritual phenomena, and generally Mrs. Lincoln was with him. The practice of attending circles by Mr. Lincoln at my father’s house continued from early in 1862, to late in 1863, and during portions of the time such visits were very frequent. This was especially the case after the President’s son Willie died. I remember well one evening when Nettie Colburn, a medium, was present, Mr. Lincoln seemed very deeply interested in the proceedings and asked a great many questions of the spirits.
I have on several occasions seen Mr. Lincoln at a circle at my father’s house, so much influenced, apparently by spiritual forces, that he became partially entranced, and I have heard him make remarks while in that condition, in which he spoke of his deceased son Willie, and said that he saw him. I have on several occasions, see Mr. Lincoln take notes of what was said by mediums. At one circle, I remember that a heavy table was being raised and caused to dance about the room by what purported to be spirits. Mr. Lincoln laughed heartily and said to my father, “Never mind, Cranston, if they break the table, I will give you a new one.” On one occasion, I remember well of hearing my father ask Mr. Lincoln, if he believed the phenomena he had witnessed was caused by spirits, and Mr. Lincoln replied, that he did so believe. This was on a Sunday evening late in 1862. I fix the time by the fact that I was Injured the same evening by a runaway horse. In 1862, I was fifteen years of age. My father, moved from Washington to a place in the country outside the city late in 1863.
J. C. Laurie
{Sworn to and subscribed before me this 1st day of November, 1885.}
Theodore Munger,
U. S. Commissioner.[13]
Footnotes
[1] “Unlocking the Mystery of a Lincoln Relic.” The International Association for the Preservation of Spiritualist and Occult Periodicals. n.d. Web. 17 October 2025. <https://iapsop.com/spirithistory/unlocking_the_mystery_of_a_lincoln_relic.html>.
[2] Maynard Nettie Colburn. Was Abraham Lincoln A Spiritualist? or Curious Revelations From A Trance Medium. Philadelphia, PA: Rufus C. Hartranft, 1891. p. 90.
[3] Hamilton, Michelle L. “I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears”: Spiritualism in Abraham Lincoln’s White House. 2013. p. 66.
[4] “Unlocking the Mystery of a Lincoln Relic.” The International Association for the Preservation of Spiritualist and Occult Periodicals. n.d. Web. 17 October 2025. <https://iapsop.com/spirithistory/unlocking_the_mystery_of_a_lincoln_relic.html>.
[5] “Unlocking the Mystery of a Lincoln Relic.” The International Association for the Preservation of Spiritualist and Occult Periodicals. n.d. Web. 17 October 2025.
[6] French, Benjamin Brown. Witness to the Young Republic: A Yankee’s Journal, 1828-1870. Donald B. Cole and John J. McDonough, eds. Hanover: University Press of New England, 1989. 247. Quoted by: Hamilton, Michelle L. “I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears”: Spiritualism in Abraham Lincoln’s White House. 2013. p. 66.
[7] Maynard Nettie Colburn. Was Abraham Lincoln A Spiritualist? or Curious Revelations From A Trance Medium. Philadelphia, PA: Rufus C. Hartranft, 1891. p. 31.
[8] Quinn, Shannon. “10 First Ladies Who Believed in the Supernatural.” History Collection. 16 May 2018. Web. 30 October 2025. <https://historycollection.com/10-first-ladies-who-believed-in-the-supernatural/>.
[9] “Unlocking the Mystery of a Lincoln Relic.” The International Association for the Preservation of Spiritualist and Occult Periodicals. n.d. Web. 17 October 2025. <https://iapsop.com/spirithistory/unlocking_the_mystery_of_a_lincoln_relic.html>.
[10] “Unlocking the Mystery of a Lincoln Relic.” The International Association for the Preservation of Spiritualist and Occult Periodicals. n.d. Web. 17 October 2025. <https://iapsop.com/spirithistory/unlocking_the_mystery_of_a_lincoln_relic.html>.
[11] Chaney, W. H. “Was He A Spiritualist? Reminiscences of President Lincoln.” The Religio-Philosophical Journal. 16 January 1886. Web. 30 November 2025. p 5. <https://iapsop.com/archive/materials/religio_philosophical_journal/religio_philosophical_journal_v39_n21_jan_16_1886.pdf>.
[12] Chaney, W. H. “Was He A Spiritualist? Reminiscences of President Lincoln.” The Religio-Philosophical Journal. 16 January 1886. Web. 30 November 2025. p 5. <https://iapsop.com/archive/materials/religio_philosophical_journal/religio_philosophical_journal_v39_n21_jan_16_1886.pdf>.
[13] Laurie, Jack. “Lincoln in the Seance Room.” The Religio-Philosophical Journal. 28 November 1885. Web. 30 November 2025. p 8. <https://iapsop.com/archive/materials/religio_philosophical_journal/religio_philosophical_journal_v39_n14_nov_28_1885.pdf>.