One of the things that the Koreshans (or, perhaps those “post” Koreshans) always said, was the Cyrus Teed was a surgeon during the Civil War. Since we mentioned John Sargent, a Civil War Veteran, in our Monthly Feature for March, and since this question always comes up, I thought we would put this question to rest.

Cyrus Teed enlisted in the U.S. Army on August 3, 1862 on Staten Island, New York City. He gave his occupation as a “Physician”, but he enlisted as a Corporal. The muster rolls, for the most part, only list him as “present”, however, a few show him detached from his Company, which was the 127th New York Infantry.

On October 15, 1863, Teed was honorably discharged from the Army. This took place at the Army hospital in Alexandria, Virginia. According to the official record, Teed was discharged because of…

“Paralysis of left leg following sunstroke on the march, as he says, has been getting worse ever since admission. Degree of disability. Total – so not fit for Invalid Corps”

He obviously did recover since he was to later appear with no disability whatsoever. Teed did apply for a pension from the government in 1899 and in the depositions given on his behalf, it was said that he did continue to suffer problems with his left side and that he was unable to do manual labor.

In his second “Declaration for Pension”, dated February 1908, just seven months before his death, Teed says that he “served as special aid to (Acting General) while he was in command…” No mention is made of any medical service.

Finally, in a letter dated October 15, 1938, a representative of the government says… “There is nothing of record to show that he ever acted in a medical capacity during his period of service”

The myth about his service as a Civil War physician does not seem to have been part of Teed’s description of himself, but rather his followers and in particular those who would have wanted to make him into more of a “distinguished” person. That “public” person who would have garnered more respect — a “gentleman” if you will.

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FEBRUARY
 —  Here is a sample, dating back 70 years, from the February 1940 edition of the Community Current Events column from the Koreshan publication, The Flaming Sword.

As mentioned in previous months, the Community Current Events column which appeared monthly (for the most part) from 1916 on gives us an insight into the daily lives of the people who lived here.

Community Current Events February 1940
By Rose Gilbert

BROTHER ALLEN ANDREWS made a trip to Bonita Spring’s to visit Mr. and Mrs. Charles Codwise, who were friends of the late Dr. Henry Nehrling and who now possess a considerable remnant, of the once great plant collection acquired at the Doctor’s Naples gardens; many rare specimens are now growing on Mr. Codwise’s place.

The weather has been much criticized for some weeks, chilly and cloudy—a sunshiny day being greeted with applause.

Resurfacing and widening of the Tamiami Trail has begun at Estero bridge, working toward Fort Myers. The work has been much delayed by heavy rains, which were not expected this time of year, making road slippery and requiring careful driving: to avoid accidents.

Having had no advance information we were pleasantly surprised and interested a few nights ago, when the radio was turned on, to hear a ten minute talk on Lee County, Fort Myers, Thomas A. Edison, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone; their winter homes in Fort Myers and sketches of early unlighted streets and cow paths about the town; its subsequent growth and the fine highways now leading to it. A brief notice was given to the little town of Estero, sixteen miles south of Fort Myers, as the home of the strange religious community. The Koreshan Unity.

We quote the following interesting fact from The American Eagle: “George Simpson brought word last Sunday of a strange creature that had stranded several days previously on Lovers’ Key, which was once the upper end of BigHickory Island. When first observed it was covered by a flock of buzzards which were rapidly tearing it to pieces, but was sufficiently intact to get a fair description of it. The creature was all of twenty feet long, about five feet across the body, with a broad, flat tail, something like an airplane rudder. The head was fully three feet long and two feet wide, tapering into a long bill resembling’ that of a seagull in shape, and somewhat curved at the end. There were no teeth and the eye-sockets were as big as saucers. There was a series of large breastplates to which the larger ribs were attached by tough gristle and the backbone was high and serrated like that of some prehistoric monster. Long bony flippers indicated that they were used to drag the creature along on the sea bottom when feeding. Unlike that of a fish, the meat was red like beefsteak, and the body was covered with a growth of coarse brown hair. Apparently the creature was a mammal and was accompanied by a young one recently born. “So far, no one has been able to identify the huge creature. The large head was obtained by Piper Brothers for exhibit at their snake farm in Bonita Spring’s. Head of the small one together with breastbones and a rib of the larger creature, were obtained by Mr. Simpson, who is spending the winter in Estero.”

We recently received a link to the website of the Alpine Historical Society in Alpine California. One of their notable residents was Marguerite Borden Head, a former member of the Koreshan Unity who, by the early 1920’s, had become the librarian of the town of Alpine. Her son, Vic, writes of his mother, Marguerite, who wrote poetry under the pen name of Zuella Sterling.

Marguerite is known here as member of the Koreshan Unity Orchestra, playing the piano. She was a part of that “second-generation” of Koreshans, along with the likes of the McCready sisters, Bertie and Ruth Boomer, Claude Rahn and Imogene and Laurie Bubbett.

Marguerite married Robert Head in 1910 and moved to New Hampshire, then to California (and the connection to Alpine), then back to New Hampshire. She apparently divorced in 1929 and in 1945 sold her home and moved back to Alpine where she died in 1954.

With so many Koreshans, they seemed to disappear after the death of Cyrus Teed and the slow decline of the Unity. It is nice to see one who went on to a very successful life.

As mentioned, Marguerite is known for her poetry. A Google search for “Zuella Sterling” turns up a very interesting array of articles and music that Marguerite either wrote or contributed to.

Also, you can follow this link to Family Search for information on her family.

Franklin Jacke was born on January 12, 1875 in Woodland Wisconsin. He had what could be termed a “tragic” life because of the fact that he suffered physically as a hunchback and eventually took his own life on March 31, 1936. According to the late Evelyn Horne, “Franklin came to the Koreshan Unity at Estero in 1903 from Chicago. He was a strong believer of the Koreshan doctrine. Franklin was the manager and store keeper of the Koreshan Unity General Store, serving the people of Estero and surrounding communities. People came as far as Sarasota and Punta Gorda for the Koreshan home baked bread, fresh country eggs, and vegetables raised by the Koreshans.”

At the time of his death, he was manager of the Koreshan Unity store. When he died, Claude Rahn wrote in the “Community Current Events” column of the “Flaming Sword”

The sudden and unexpected death of Brother Franklin F. Jacke which occurred on Tuesday, March 31st, cast a pall of sorrow over our community and among his many friends in the county. Failing eyesight which presaged the possibility of total blindness, and the mounting cares of the Unity store of which he had been the active manager for many years were doubtless the immediate factors responsible for his passing. Brother Franklin who was of a kindly and friendly disposition was born in Woodland, Wisconsin, sixty one years ago, and joined the Unity in 1903, at which time he came to Estero. Except for a short absence while employed in the activities of the Koreshan Unity Co-operative in Bristol, Tenn. he had been in continuous management of our local store, and had developed it into being one of the best arranged and stocked rural general stores in southwest Florida. He was buried in our local cemetery, and the management of the store was placed in the care of Mr. Marion F. Strickland who for some time had been managing our gasoline filling station, and who has had considerable experience in a similar business in this state.” — FLAMING SWORD–v.50, No.5, May 1936, p.13

January 8th marks the 166th anniversary of the birth of James H. Bubbett, one of the early Koreshan pioneers. Born in Washington County Pennsylvania in 1844, James eventually ended up in Quincy Illinois, and then Chicago, which is where it is believed that he took an interest in Cyrus Teed and Koreshanity.

According to Marie McCready, James directed the mechanical phases of the printing and publishing operations. At the departure of Annie Ordway in 1909, he became president of the K. U. until his death in 1924. He also played second violin in the Koreshan Orchestra.

Along with his wife, Evelyn, James was one of the early followers of Teed. His three children, Imogene, who married Claude Rahn, mentioned in our first post. He had two sons, LeRoy, who did not stay in Estero, but returned to Chicago, although he supposedly remained a Koreshan, and Laurence, known as “Laurie” who remained in Estero, eventually becoming K.U. President himself and becoming one of the few remaining Koreshans until his death in 1960.

You can read more of the Bubbett Geneaology on our website.