A brief history of Dr. Cyrus Teed and the Koreshans

k Koreshan State Park

3300 Corckscrew Road Estero Florida 33928

A Brief History of Dr. Cyrus Teed
And the Koreshans

By: Roger M. Parlin

The following work is a list of the most commonly asked questions,
along with the answers by the many thousands of guests that visit
our park every year. The original purpose of this publication was to
help me, as a new Docent, to understand the lives and times of the
Koreshan Unity and their rich history.

A

A Brief History of Dr. Cyrus Teed and the Koreshans

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Koreshan/ If this link does not open, then cut

I would like to say thanks to all the Rangers, and paste it into your address bar.
fellow members of the Board of Directors,
as well as volunteers and volunteer docents
that helped make this State Park one of the
best in Florida.

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Efforts. All Membership Levels include a
10% discount on items for sale by the QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Friends of Koreshan State Park at the Ranger The following work is a list
Station at the park entrance. A 10% discount of the most commonly
on Guided Kayak Tours conducted by the asked questions, along with
College of Life Foundation, Inc. If you are a the answers by the many
Resident Volunteer Member, you can join thousands of guests that
for $5.00! Please help us. visit our park every year.
The original purpose of this
publication was to help me,
as a new Docent, to
understand the lives and

times of the Koreshan Unity and their rich history.

1

Roger M. Parlin, Ph.D. parents wanted him to become a preacher and
Docent Volunteer becoming a preacher in those days, just to give you
Member of the CSO Board of Directors a frame of reference, was sort of like becoming an
KORESHAN STATE PARK athlete today."
[email protected]
239-470-0265 Teed, like other religious leaders, claimed to have
been visited by an angel. In that visitation, Teed was
Ranger Station given what he believed was a great universal truth.
239-992-0311 But, he didn't share it all at once with people, even
his followers. Teed was a distant cousin of
How to save this PDF file to your computer: Mormonism's founder, Joseph Smith, who started
Go to (Ctrl) S his religion similarly. Of Mormonism's founder,
Save to desktop Joseph Smith, who started his religion similarly.

Lyn Millner spent five years Like some of the other
researching and writing the
story of Cyrus Teed, a man who groups that formed in the
created his own religion and
convinced a couple of hundred 19th century, Teed took
people to believe him. Lyn
Millner, a journalism professor ideas from other
at Florida Gulf Coast
University, took five years to places. "He drew from
uncover the story of Cyrus Teed
and his role in the state's history. What would drive every conceivable religion:
someone to recruit people into their sect and lead
them on a fantastical journey? Probably two things. Hinduism, Theosophy, and
The first: his childhood. Millner says:
"He grew up at a time when religion was hugely Spiritualism. The
important in society. And specifically, there had
been a real religious fervor across New York, and communal piece was
especially in western New York. He had a very
powerful speaking voice even as a kid. So, his based on the Primitive

Baptist Church. He drew

from Greek mythology

even," Millner says. Teed

moved from community to community before

eventually landing in Chicago. While there he grew

his flock and influence. He also became a huge
media presence – in some ways, a media celebrity.

Teed never disappointed when it came to feeding

reporters incredible stories. And like other religious

leaders, he overstayed his welcome and eventually

left. Where did he go next? Millner again: "Teed

was on a train one day and things were just falling

apart in Chicago, and he knew he had to get out.

There were mobs after him; there were death threats,

and husbands were suing him; he couldn't pay his

bills. So he was on a train. And, he heard about this

property in Florida." The property was about 40

miles, by road, north of Estero where Pine Island,

Florida is today, near Fort Myers. Teed was

convinced, that this would be the location of his new

Jerusalem. Teed had grandiose plans for the

settlement.

2

For more on the life story of Dr. Cyrus Teed and They left in 1910 and moved to nearby Fort Myers.
than 10 million people to live in his city.1 the This group, the Order of Theocracy, lasted until
Koreshans, please obtain a copy of Lyn Millner’s 1931. The fact the Unity was celibate did not help,
book at the Ranger Station at Koreshan State Park although celibacy was not the real problem since
for $26.45 there was a married status within the Unity. It
celibates were the highest order. With some
GUIDED member's leaving and without new members
joining, the group slowly dwindled. [2]
TOURS
Finally, in 1961 Hedwig Michel, (more on her later)
Koreshan State Historic Site offers Ranger/Docent the only surviving member and president of the
Guided Tours every Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 Koreshans religious community deeded the property
a.m. April through December and daily at 10:00 to the State of Florida. The Unity Settlement then
a.m. and 2:00 p.m. January through March. Contact became the “Koreshan State Park." In 1967, after the
the Ranger Station at (239) 992-0311 for additional surviving eleven buildings were restored, the Park
information. was given the position of “The Koreshan State
Historic Site.” Then in late 2017, the name was
If you are requesting information for tours for clubs, altered back to Koreshan State Park to make it more
homeschool associations or other groups, please call easygoing for the public to distinguish the location
us as soon as possible to ensure we will be able to as a State Park.
fulfill your requested dates.

Who were the Koreshans? Milk and Wine Liley

The Koreshan Unity started in the 1870’s in New
York [1], where Teed began preaching his beliefs.
He formed short-lived groups in New York City and
Moravia. He later moved to Chicago. Teed's
followers established a commune in Chicago in
1888 called – The Koreshan Unity. Some members
also created a short-lived community in San
Francisco (1891-1892). Small church groups existed
in other towns.

How did Florida obtain this land as a
Park?

Following Dr. Cyrus (Koresh) Teed's death the
Founder of the Koreshans, late in 1908, the group
went into decline; several groups split off from the
Unity One such group was the Order of Theocracy.

1 http://www.gulfshorelife.com/August-2015/Author-Lyn-
Millner-Leaves-No-Stone-Unturned-Koreshan-Unity-
Koreshan-State-Historic-Site-Cyrus-Teed/

3

What are the attractions here at the
Park?

The Park, in addition to the Koreshan Unity, has
many attractions that draw guests to the Park in the
thousands every year. Here are just a few:

BOTANICAL GARDENS:

Mango Eucalyptus, and other fruit bearing trees, an
extraordinary amount of Chinese bamboo obtained
from the Ford and Edison Winter Estates, and many
flowering trees and plants from a wide variety.

African Sausage Tree

In the back of the Planetary Court is an African

Sausage Tree which is native to Africa and used for
food for giraffes, elephants, and cattle.2

The Monkey Puzzle Tree: (Damaged in The Camel Foot Tree gets its name from its

the Hurricane of 2017 is no longer here.) leaf that looks like a camel’s camel’s foot. This tree is

The Koreshans imported this species of tree as a native to India. In the United States of America, the
sapling from across the world, which is indigenous
to Queensland, Australia, and drops seed pods as tree grows in Hawaii, coastal California,
large as a football. However, fortunately, two small southern Texas, and Southwest Florida.3 This
Monkey Puzzle trees remain near this site.

2 http://www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_sausage_tree.html
3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phanera_purpurea

4

particular Tree located at Koreshan State Park is just subcontinent, Southeast Asia, as well as subtropical
outside the Art Hall.
regions of East Asia and northern Australia. The

Common name for the Bombax is Red Silk Cotton
Tree.5

Milk & Wine Lily6

The first Crinums to bloom every summer. If the

early season is cool, the flowering bloom will last

for a couple of weeks, each giving almost a month

of large flowers, one after another.

Turks Cap flower SWAMP MAHOGANY

This spreading shrub, often as broad as it is high,
grows 2-3 ft., However, sometimes it can reach 9 ft.
Bright-red, pendant, hibiscus-like flowers never
fully open, their petals overlapping to form a loose
tube, with the staminal column protruding, said to
resemble a Turkish turban. Thus, its most common
name, Turk's cap. Especially useful in shady
situations.

Red Silk Cotton Tree.4 5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombax
6 http://www.southernbulbs.com/crinum-milk-wine-lily-
They are native to western Africa, the Indian jumbo-size/

4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombax 5

Eucalyptus robusta, commonly known as swamp HIKING TRAILS & CANOEING
mahogany or swamp messmate, is a tree native to
eastern Australia. Growing in swampy or In addition to the historic buildings of the
waterlogged soils, it is up to 30 m (98 ft.) high with
thick spongy reddish-brown bark and dark green settlement, this state park includes canoeing on the
broad leaves, which help form a dense canopy. The
white to cream flowers appear in autumn and winter. Estero River which flows directly next to the
The leaves are commonly eaten by insects and are a
food item for the koala. It is an important winter- Koreshan Settlement as well as hiking trails and the
flowering species in eastern Australia and has been
planted extensively in many countries around the presence of many protected species of animals
world. Its timber is used for firewood and in general throughout the park.7
construction.

GOPHER TORTOISE

Gopher tortoises are dry-land turtles that normally FARMERS MARKET & NATIVE
exist in comparatively well-drained, sandy soils PLANTS SAILS
generally associated with Longleaf pine and dry oak
Sandhills. However, they too live in the scrub, dry The Park holds a Farmers Market every Sunday
hammock, pine Flatwoods, dry prairie, coastal from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The Market is open
grasslands and dunes, mixed hardwood-pine almost year round! Nevertheless, please be mindful
communities, and a diversity of habitats that have that many of the fresh fruits and vegetables will be
been interrupted or changed by human beings, such out of season by mid to late September. 8
as power line rights-of-way, and along roadsides.
Koreshan State Park has several of the slow-moving 7 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koreshanity
animals for you to view. 8 https://www.google.com/search?ei=s377Wb-
EOcOzkwXz44zwAw&q=koreshan+park+farmere+market&o
q=koreshan+park+farmere+market&gs_l=psy-
ab.3..0i13k1.7019.15728.0.16130.29.26.0.0.0.0.559.4373.0j1j6
j6j0j1.15.0....0...1.1.64.psy-
ab..14.15.4614.6..0j35i39k1j0i131k1j0i67k1j0i131i46k1j46i13
1k1j0i20i263k1j0i22i30k1.253.FaieJuDuNvk

6

THE GHOST WALK Who was Cyrus Teed?

For the past 26 years, the Koreshan State Park has Cyrus Teed –
offered guests a view of the life and times of Cyrus Founder of the
Koreshans (1839–
Teed and the Koreshans with a theatrical 1908)
production called The Ghost Walk. The one-hour
program walks the shell paths of the 110-acre Cyrus R. Teed was
grounds of the park, and costumed volunteers act a visionary pioneer
out parts of the times and lives of the Koreshans. that came to South
The Park holds this event the last two Fridays and Florida, bringing his
Saturdays of January and the first two Fridays and followers here in
Saturdays of February. Estero Florida in
1894. Cyrus Teed
Please contact the Koreshan Ranger Station for more was the Founder of
details or to purchase tickets (239) 992-0311. For a the Koreshans and
more comprehensive view of the events at the Park. believed himself to
Click here. (By the way, the Ghost Walk is not be a prophet (a special messenger of God). Cyrus
scary. It is a historic walk down the shell paths of was the second son of eight children. He was born in
the Koreshans. Bring the entire family.) New York State on Oct 18, 1839, in Trout Creek, in
Delaware County near Teedsville, 8 miles north of
Every Wednesday and Saturday, in season (January Walton NY. Dr. Cyrus (Koresh) Teed died on Dec
through March) at 11:30 AM in the Historic 22, 1908, at the age of 69.
Industrial area you can enjoy a demonstration of
early 1900’s engines. What was Dr. Teed’s Educational
Background?9

Cyrus Teed had only
completed the eighth
grade, dropping out of
school at age 11 to
work as a Hoggee on the Erie Canal, to help support
his family. At that time in history, neither a high
school nor a College education was a requirement

7

for medical school. Teed would finish medical before leaving to join the Army. However, Teed
school in 186810 at age 29. Although we should take was 23 when he moved to New York and was 23
into consideration that Teed’s schooling was when he dropped out of medical school to join the
Army, so it must have been less than a year. Some
interrupted by a short tour of duty in the Army. Due sources indicate that he worked as an assistant
physician and surgeon this may have been an
to sunstroke, he served only 14 months of his 36- embellishment on the truth to make Cyrus Teed
month enlistment. Teed’s parents were of the look somewhat bigger than life.

Baptist faith, so do to his natural oratorical ability; (1860-1929 passed at age 69) When Douglas was
nine (1869), his father left the family to develop a
his friends urged him to study for the ministry. religious sect called 'Koreshanity' after
experiencing what he claimed was a divine vision.
However, Cyrus decided to become a physician and Douglas and his mother never converted to
Koreshanity and allegedly due to ill health, Fidelia
in 1859 commenced the study of medicine with his and Douglas, her son, moved in with her sister in
uncle, Dr. Samuel F. Teed, in Utica, N.Y.11 Samuel Binghamton, New York, even though her husband
F. Teed was a 25-year-old allopathic12 physician Cyrus was a Medical Doctor. It appears that his
focus was on other matters than his marriage. They
(MD). Surprisingly, most Doctors at that time remained there until Fidelia’s death of tuberculosis
in 1885, Douglas her son now 25 and Cyrus now
learned their trade by working as an apprentice with 46 or 47.

other physicians, or a physician, without the benefit Cyrus Teed’s brief tour of duty in
the Union Army.
of medical school at all.
Cyrus Teed enlisted in Company F, 127th New
Was Cyrus Teed married? York Infantry of the
Marriage and Family: In 1859 at age 20, New York volunteers
on August 9, 1862, at
Cyrus married his second cousin, Fidelia (Delia) M. the age of twenty-two.
Rowe. Cyrus was 20 years old, and Fidelia was 19. On April 12, 1863, he
She was married to Dr. Teed for 27 years and died at was assigned to Brigade
the age of 47 of tuberculosis. Headquarters.”
Corporal Teed became
Did Cyrus and Fidelia have any children? a special aid to an
acting General
DOUGLAS TEED Woodford. It is not
clear what is duty
Yes - In 1860, Teed now assignment was.
21 had a son Douglas. However, while on the
Then, two years later, in
1862 when Cyrus Teed march near Warrenton Junction, Virginia on
was 23 he moved his small August 1, 1863, he suffered sunstroke which led to
family to Brooklyn, New paralysis of his left arm and leg. Army records
York. While in New York indicate he was assigned to a hospital in
he enrolled in Medical Alexandria, Virginia, August 8th, 1863 where he
School but dropped out
and joined the New York
Infantry Volunteers at age 23. I could find no
record of how long Teed was in medical school

10 http://koreshan.mwweb.org/teed.htm (see idem 2)

11

http://koreshan.mwweb.org/blog/?p=1736#identifier
_0_1736

12

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=allopathic+physician

8

spent fifty-days until his release from the hospital. board to the public/guest that visited the park.
From the time of injury, August 1st to time of Paintings are now hanging from wires attached to
discharge from the hospital on September 30th ceiling trim.
would be about 61 days.13
What is the Art Hall used for today?
He received an Honorable (Medical) Discharge
from the Army on October 16th, 1863. After his A Lecture Hall, Concert Hall, and the Museum and
medical discharge from the service, he returned to contains early historical documents of the Koreshan
New York City to complete his medical studies in Unity as well as musical instruments used by the
Eclectic Medicine, graduating from the Eclectic Koreshans.
Medical College of the City of New York, in
February 1868. What was the time Dr. Teed started
his religious following?
As a patient at the Army hospital, Corporal Cyrus
Teed noticed that wounded soldiers with a positive ILLUMINATION: In the autumn of 1869 at age
outlook on life or having a strong religious faith 30, Cyrus Teed had what he later referred to as
recovered faster. At the close of the war, he his Illumination (Isaiah 11:10, Isaiah 44:28).
resumed his study of medicine. The length of time Also, allegedly, while experimenting with
from discharge from the Army and when he electricity he was shocked into unconsciousness.
continued his studies in medicine is also unclear. Then, later that same evening, he had a vision in
However, from the time of Army discharge to date which he saw God (a spirit) in the form of a
of graduation would have been five years. beautiful woman and learned the secrets of the
universe and his place in it. This Spirit, as Teed
described it, was both his mother and his bride.

The Art Hall was one of the most important She wore gold and
buildings of the Koreshan Unity Settlement. purple robes and
The Hall was used by the Koreshan’s for carried the
entertainment, education, as well as the center of all Mercury’s
religious activity. Caduceus14. Bible
reference Numbers
(The Koreshans did not have a separate building 21:4-915 In his
used as a church). The walls were h paintings hung vision, the God-
on nails. The State, when it took over the settlement spirit explained to
as a Park in 1961 took the wall boards off and Dr. Teed that He,
turned them around exposing the back side of the God, if we can use
that term, was both
male and female.
God told Teed that
women were to be treated the same as men
(Gender-equality). Also, all men were to be
treated equally (Human rights and racial
equality).

14 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3ACaduceus

13 http://koreshan.mwweb.org/gene/new/np128.htm

9

Dr. Teed’s purpose was to explain to the masses MORE ON THE SEAL:
the truths of the Bible. Much of which is not easy
to understand. The Pope and the Seal of Solomon

God, in Teed’s vision, goes on to explain to him At top left the Popes Papal hat is known as a mitre.16
that the earth was hollow and we lived on the A close-up picture of Pope Benedict XVI’s (16th)
inside of it, more on that later. (Later, Cyrus Teed Papal hat reveals a six-pointed hexagram located in
took on the name “Koresh.” The Word Cyrus in front of the headpiece and appears to be a Seal of
ancient Hebrew is pronounced Koresh meaning Solomon, rather than the Star of David.
Shepherd. The followers of Koresh were called
Koreshans. Their religion was a mixture of
science and theology and was called Koreshanity.
Also, while in his laboratory, he claimed to have
changed lead into gold (alchemy). He called this
knowledge the "Philosopher's Stone."

Why do the lecture desk or pulpit, in the Art
Hall, appear to have the Star of David on it?

AT TOP RIGHT: The yellow Star of David on the

left side has the German word Jude (Jew in English)
written in the center. 17 The blue Star of David
(Magen ((SIC))18 David in Hebrew) on the right side

is found upon the official, national flag of Israel.

In the Art Hall, please notice the star on the front AT BOTTOM LEFT: These two black hexagrams
of the pulpit resembling the Jewish Star of David. in an all-white background are essential
Although it is not clear where the lecture stand or representations of a Star of David, seen on the left
pulpit or lectern came from it appears to have the side, and a Seal of Solomon, seen on the right.
Star of David on it, but it does not. The symbol is
that of THE SEAL OF SOLOMON. It could be 16The mitre (British English) (/ˈmaɪtər/; Greek: μίτρα,
that the Koreshans “borrowed” the symbol, with "headband" or "turban") or miter (American English; see
its interwoven triangles as a representation of the spelling differences), is a type of headgear now known as the
male-female aspects of God. In tradition, the traditional, ceremonial head-dress of bishops and certain
overlapping triangles stood for male and female. abbots in traditional Christianity.
The triangle with its point upward represented male
and the triangle pointing down represented female. 17
Later Koreshan prayers would be to the Mother-
Father God. https://stjudasmaccabaeus.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/understa
nding-the-differences-between-the-star-of-david-and-the-seal-
of-solomon/
18 The notation's usual purpose is to inform the reader that
any errors or apparent errors in quoted material do not arise
from errors in the course of the transcription, but are
intentionally reproduced, exactly as they appear in the
source text.

10

AT BOTTOM RIGHT: A six-pointed hexagram When one looks closely enough at the picture
carved upon one of the walls of St. Peter’s Basilica above, the differences between the Star of David
in Vatican City, the official capital of the Roman (on the Left) and the Seal of Solomon (on the
Catholic Church.19 Right) should become readily apparent. By
tradition, the Star of David, has only 2-
THE SEAL OF SOLOMON vs. Dimensional overlapping or intersecting triangles,
THE STAR OF DAVID while the Seal of Solomon always has 3-
Dimensional interwoven or interlaced triangles.
A rather interesting take on the very real
differences between the Star of David and the Seal Because of this, the Seal of Solomon may also
of Solomon reads as follows: “The Seal of sometimes be confused with the Star of David,
Solomon resembles the Jewish Star of David, but although this remains technically incorrect, as
the Star of David does not have interlocking confirmed by a Jewish Rabbi visiting the park. 20
triangles.” It is unlikely the Pope would have on The Seal of Solomon represents the Divine Union
his Mitre (hat) the Jewish symbol of the Star of being, composed of a female, triangle, and a male,
David. The Seal of Solomon is over 3000 years triangle. Also, traditional elemental triangles of
old. During the 19th century (the 1800’s) the the earth; air; water and fire are derived from the
figure (The Star of David) began to proliferate seal as well. This Seal of Solomon was placed in
amongst Jewish communities of Eastern Europe, the Estero Village Seal in the upper left corner.
ultimately being used amongst the Jewish
communities in the Pale of Settlement. (A region Estero Village
of western Russia where Jews were permitted to Seal
settle.)
Please see photo on
A significant motivating factor was the desire to the left. It could be
imitate the influence of the Christian cross. In argued that the Seal
Medieval Jewish, Islamic and Christian legends, may have
the Seal of Solomon was a magical signet ring said represented the
to have the symbol now called the Star of David Male / Female
(hexagram), often within a circle, usually with the aspect of God to
Cyrus Teed and he
“borrowed” it for his own reasons. (For more
information, please Google “The Seal of Solomon.”
Credit: 21

two triangles interlaced rather than intersecting.

19 20

https://stjudasmaccabaeus.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/understa https://stjudasmaccabaeus.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/understa
nding-the-differences-between-the-star-of-david-and-the-seal- nding-the-differences-between-the-star-of-david-and-the-seal-
of-solomon/ of-solomon/
21 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_of_Solomon

11

What was Dr. Teed’s Religious THE STEINWAY PIANO
Background?
Then the Koreshins moved from Chicago to the
Teed was raised a Baptist. However, in 1878 at age Estero area in the mid-1890, and they brought with
40, Dr. Teed was admitted to membership in the them 15 box cars of goods and personal property
North Family of Shakers in Lebanon, New York. including this Steinway Piano. The piano donated by
The Shakers by doctrine, unlike the Baptist, are an E. Bonnell, a teacher from Morristown, NJ, when
Pentecostal.22 The Shakers were a religious they joined the unity. It has only 85 keys rather than
organization with many beliefs similar to that of the standard 88 keys. 88 keys became standard in
Teed’s, including the concept of community living 1890. Before that time there were no standard
or a utopian community. A few years later Teed number of keys for pianos.
invited them to become a part of the Koreshan
Unity, but they declined to join. The leadership The number of keys would vary from somewhere in
could not quite believe in Teed’s theory of the 60s to somewhere in the 80s. The piano you see
Cosmology (that is, living inside the earth) - more here was made in 1885 and is 133 years old (in
on that later. These Utopian groups were springing 2018). It was not until 1857 that a piano was
up all lover, but mainly in the New York area. New created with lavishly carved case and legs, like the
York’s Ellis Island was a port for many immigrants one here at the Park.
seeking religious and political freedom from the
monarchies and religious suppression of Europe – Steinway & Sons were founded on March 5, 1853,
the very rich and the very poor. Even the by German immigrant Henry E. Steinway in a
Communist Party of Russia in 191723 was an Manhattan loft on Varick Street. Henry was a master
attempt to rid itself of the tyranny of the monarchy cabinet maker who built his first piano, an upright,
of the Russian Czar Nicolas II by overthrowing the in 1836 at the age of 39 in the kitchen of his German
Czar and forming a non-religious Utopian home. 24
Commune.
UPRIGHT PIANO
In theory, the Communist Party was a Unity, a
commune where all property was owned in Up until this time, the
common by all members called the State. Steinway was an upright
model, like the one on
Where did the paintings come from in the Art the left above. A piano,
Hall? with legs - Serial #1225,
The Art Hall housed and displayed several paintings is believed to be the
by Teed’s son Douglas A. Teed. The Art was sold to first-ever Steinway Art
Cyrus Teed (Koreshans) by his son Douglas in Case piano (1857).
1905. For a look at several of the paintings by (1797–1871). Monday,
Douglas Teed follow this link: Paintings by Douglas
A. Teed 24 http://myperfectpiano.com/louis-corner/

22 http://www.bible.ca/cr-quakers.htm

12

March 5, 2018, marks the 164th Koreshanity is a set of religious/scientific beliefs
anniversary of Steinway & Sons.25 put forth by Cyrus Teed (also known as Koresh).

Some Definitions

Henry E. Steinway  Cosmology is the study of the universe at its
(1797–1871- age 74 at largest scales, including theories of its
death) origins, its dynamics and evolution, and its
future.
Did the Koreshans have access to For more information on the definition of
any educational facility? Cosmology go to the following link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmology
Yes - The Pioneer University of Koreshan
Universology.  Cosmogony is the (scientific) study of the
origin of the cosmos (or of reality itself).

The Koreshans established a University in 1904 Cellular Cosmogony, which is Teed’s unique view
(Teed then age 65). The University, at that time, of a Hollow Earth Theory, which casts forward the
seemed to emphasize the trades rather than the arts, idea that the world and the universe are held inside a
although the arts, music, painting, and the like, hollow sphere or “Cell.” In this theory: The earth’s
were taught. The trades would have made the shell is one hundred miles thick and has seventeen
University more akin to a Trade School than a layers. The outer seven layers are metallic with a
Liberal Arts College of modern times. Included in gold “rain” on the outermost layer; the middle five
its curriculum was what was considered to be are mineral and the five inward are geologic strata.
Useful Trades such as Construction; Inside the shell, there is life, outside a void."
Patternmaking; Electrical; Mechanical; Stone
construction, as well as Music and Art.

Who built the University? Credit – Dr. Teed’s book Cellular Cosmogony:
"The sun is an invisible electromagnetic battery
It was the Professors and students that built the revolving in the universe's center on a 24-hour
University. cycle. Our visible sun is only a reflection, as is the
moon, with the stars reflecting off seven mercurial
Why did Dr. Teed believe that the Earth was discs that float in the sphere's center. In the earth,
hollow and we lived inside it? there are three separate atmospheres: the first
composed of oxygen and nitrogen and closest to the
THE KORESHAN WORLD: earth; the second, a hydrogen atmosphere above it;
the third, was “a boron.26”(sic)
Dr. Teed’s vision of the world

25 The 85th anniversary would have been in 1921 from the date Perspective on Teed’s theory of a hollow earth:
Using a device called a Rectilineator.
of the first piano and in 1938 from the date of incorporation. Beliefs, about the nature of God and the nature of

From Steinway birth in 1797 plus 85 years would be 1882. 26 Perhaps a maid up word,
(This piano did not celebrate the 85th anniversary of birth,

first piano made or the first piano made after incorporation.

13

the Universe, were very important to the Koreshans to prove a particular theory, there would be the
in later years.27 See also: Concave Earth Theory.28 tendency to dismiss any facts that tend to disprove
the theory, no matter how sound, and to allow any
Much of what Teed believed regarding the Hollow fact that supports the theory, no matter how weak, to
Earth Theory, Teed said was given to him in his prove their point.
Illumination in 1869. A land survey was authored
by Dr. Ulysses Grant Morrow and Dr. Teed to 2. Also, they did not take into consideration the fact
confirm this theory, but later editions of the book that a wooden device 48 feet in length, such as the
Cellular Cosmogony dropped Morrow's name. Also, Rectilinear, will warp under its own weight and
Teed was not alone in his opinion notable scientist thus would have skewed the result.30
of the day also believed in the Hollow Earth Theory:
(Learn more) 3. Next, the technical competence of the surveyor.
Dr. Morrow, though no doubt a brilliant man, taught
shorthand and business in college not surveying or
even math.

4. The primitive surveying tools used.

THE SURVEY: Dr. Teed’s could not believe that BACKGROUND ON HOLLOW EARTH
God would create a universe that could not be THEORY – In good company. Other Scientists
understood by man. Dr. Teed was in charge of a who ascribed to the hollow earth theory:
survey using a surveying tool called the Rectilinear,
on Naples beach from March through April 1897 Several twentieth-century German writers, including
and was his attempt to prove the Cellular Peter Bender; Johannes Lang; Karl Neupert; and
Cosmogony which he believed was given to him by Fritz Braun, published works advocating the Hollow
God in a vision. The survey indicated that the Earth hypothesis,
horizon on either end of the 4.2 miles of Naples
beach rose around 100 inches. It has even been reported, although apparently with
to Teed’s satisfaction, that we live in a concave very little historical documentation, that Adolf
world. 29 Hitler was influenced by concave Hollow-Earth
ideas and sent an expedition in an unsuccessful
attempt to spy on the British fleet by aiming infrared
cameras up into the sky (Wagner, 1999).31

Leonhard Euler (1707-1783) mathematician,
physicist, astronomer, logician, and engineer.

Why was the Naples survey flawed? 30 Besides geology, Dr. Teed also denounces the
There are at least four reasons why the survey may scientific method, the Copernican theory, the atomic
have been flawed. theory, modern chemistry, conventional surveying
techniques, and last but not least, optics. Truly,
1. The Bias factor. That is, when a person starts out 'everything you know is wrong.'

29 https://www.floridamemory.com/exhibits/koreshan/origins/

14

Sir Edmund Halley (1656-1742) of Halley’s Comet Please keep in mind that there have been many
fame. views on the subject of the earth and its origin,
including the Flat Earth and Giant Turtle
Sir John Leslie (1766-1832) mathematician and Theories. Also Earth and day there are those that
physicist. believe that the earth was created in 6 days about
10,000 years ago while others believe it was created
John Cleves Symmes Jr. (1780-1829) was an by the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago
American Army officer, trader, and lecturer.
Symmes is best known for his 1818 variant of the Atlas was a legendary Titan. He was in a lot of
Hollow Earth Theory, which introduced the concept stories, starting With a story, including a hero
of openings to the inner world at the poles.32 named Hercules. Atlas led a battle of Titans against
Zeus, which lasted for ten years. Eventually, Atlas
As well as the writer Jules Vern’s (1828 - 1905) was singled out by Zeus and forced to hold up the
Jules Vern was a contemporary of Cyrus Teed (1839 heavens as a special punishment.
- 1908) all were proponents of the Hollow Earth
Theory. Who is right is not the point here, but the fact that
there are many opinions on such matters.
Richard E. Byrd (1888 –1957) An Admiral in the
U.S. Navy believed in the Hollow Earth theory and It was not until 1492 when Columbus sailed from
that some alien life forms inhabiting it. For the Europe to the Americas that the church was forced
thinking of the day, Cyrus Teed was in good to consider that the world may not be flat. Can you
company. Please read the following of several imagine how brave the sailors must have been?
articles on Adm. Byrd: Thinking, at any moment, they may sail off the edge

https://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/tierra_hueca/esp
tierra_hueca_2d.htm

This Cell Theory may seem to some, including this of the world?
author, to be a little left of center. However, keep in While Fort Myers was little more than a cattle town
mind that several hundred years before this time the Koreshans businesses at Estero included:
most everyone, including the church, (500-1500
BCE) believed the world was flat, and the sun Electrical Works, Tin
revolved around it. Works, Mattress Making
However, one can see from the biblical reference in Shop, Hat and Basket
Revelation 7:1 that refers to four angels standing on Weaving Shop, Shoe Shop,
the four corners of the earth, and perhaps, how this Blacksmith Shop, Print
could be interpreted as the earth as being flat like a Shop, Publishing House,
table having four corners. Of course, I am not saying Bakery, Fishing, Saw Mill,
we should see it this way now, but can you Boat Works, Icehouse,
understand how the people, including the church of
500 or 1500 years ago may have? Every generation
believes that they alone have a handle on the truth
only to be laughed at for their beliefs by the next
generation.

32 http://www.secretsofthefed.com/is-there-another-advanced-
civilization-living-beneath-our-feet/

15

Honey farm, Citrus farm, Dressmaking, General  Reincarnation, the belief that people are
Store, Post Office, Western Union Office, reborn. (John 3:7).
Restaurant, Hotel, Gas station, Watch Repair, Grade John 3:7 New International Version
& High school, A University and Trade School, (NIV)7 You should not be surprised at my
Concrete Works, Plant Nursery. The Koreshans saying, ‘You[a] must be born again.
bought a furniture plant in Bristol, Tennessee, in
1906 for $75,000. However, the factory went broke,  Immortality, the belief people, will not die.
and Teed was left owing the balance of the 1 John 2:25 New King James Version
mortgage. They, the Koreshans, were also (NKJV) 25 And this is the promise that He
negotiating with the government of Honduras for a has promised us—eternal life.
grant of 200,000 acres of land for colonization.
 Collectivism, the community lived
They bought the San Carlos Hotel in St. James City communally, with everyone sharing in the
as a possible site for the World College of Life.33 work without being paid money.
Collectivism began with the first commune
However, sadly, while it was in the process of in Chicago, then lead to them moving to
remodeling, on July 26, 1905, it burned down. Estero and to build their "New Jerusalem”
Allegedly, one of the workers left a smudge-pot, Acts 2:44-45. New King James Version
used to protect the workers from mosquitoes, (NKJV) 44 Now all who believed were
burning overnight that caused the fire. 34 together, and had all things in common,
45 and sold their possessions and goods, and
Why did the Koreshans believe Teeds’ teachings? divided them among all, as anyone had a
Disclaimer 2: The biblical references referred to need.
herein the following lists of Koreshan beliefs are not
intended by me to change your mind about your  Alchemy, (science not religion) which was
belief system but only used to show how the an area that Teed had experimented in for
Koreshans may have come to their conclusions. That years. Alchemy was a respected science of
is, like most religions, taking scripture literally or that day, but the Bible does not mention the
figuratively or metaphorically, accepting some word alchemy.
biblical directives as relative and dismissing others https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-
as for that time only, when it suited their beliefs. alchemy.html
Sifting through the Bible became the holy task of
Prophet Cyrus (Koresh) Teed.  Celibacy, the belief of abstaining from any
sexual conduct, which they felt was a
THEIR BELIEFS: (Most of which have their basis scientific method to obtain immortality.
in the Bible.)
Although the Bible does not address the
33 http://pineisland.info/looking-for/ topic, it is widely believed that Jesus was a
34 http://koreshan.mwweb.org/gene/new/np128.htm celibate. (Learn more) 1 Corinthians 7:32-
40 ESV / I want you to be free from
anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious

about the things of the Lord, how to please
the Lord. But the married man is concerned
about worldly things, how to please his

16

wife, and his interests are divided. And the http://www.ovrlnd.com/Cults/poprejectshell.html
unmarried or betrothed woman is concerned
about the things of the Lord, how to be holy Note 1: There have been many, so called, Messiahs
in body and spirit. But the married woman throughout history. Messiah was/is a term meaning
is anxious about worldly things, how to an “anointed one “and was someone with a special,
please her husband. I say this for your own God-ordained purpose. There is no necessary
benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, connection between Jesus (The Son of God) and an
but to promote good order and to secure extensive list of others that were anointed for some
your undivided devotion to the Lord. If particular purpose. For more on the topic of
anyone thinks that he is not behaving Messiah please Google - Messiah Also- Wikipedia
properly toward his betrothed, if his free dictionary.
passions are strong, and it has to be, let him
do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no Note2: the established Church of Cyrus (Koresh)
sin. ... Ref: I Corinthians 7:32-40 & Galatians Teed’s time did not believe that he was a Messiah.
5:19-21. | However, the established church of Jesus time did
not believe that He was a Messiah either.

Heaven and Hell Some may feel the Koreshans were utterly wrong in
The Koreshans believed that Heaven and Hell their understanding of the Bible’s scriptures, but
please be aware that there are over 33,000 Protestant
were conditions of the mind rather than a natural denominations worldwide,39 each believing, to some
degree or another, they are right. (This does not
or spiritual world. They believed that the Bible include the 35,000 independent churches that have
no affiliation with the other 33,000 denominations.)
was an excellent expression of the Divine The point is not who is right or wrong but that there
a variety of opinions on the topic of religion.
Creator, but needed the intervention of prophets
However, since the RCMS 2010 study, we now
to make it understandable to the believers know that the grouping of nondenominational
churches, if taken together, would be the second
throughout the ages. This task would have fallen largest Protestant group in the country with over
35,000 independent or nondenominational churches
to Dr. Cyrus (Koresh) Teed, as a self-proclaimed representing more than 12,200,000 adherents. These
prophet. 35 Heaven and Hell were not actual non-denominational religions are present in every
state and in 2,663 out of the total of 3,033 counties
places, but the conditions of the mind. (Pope in the country, or 88% of the population.

John Paul II, also said this, as well as Billy
Graham)36 Last Teed's inspired leadership.

Teed claimed to be the 'seventh' Messianic
leader37 (Jesus is the sixth). 38

36 http://thesouthernblog.com/2010/08/koreshan-living-inside- Want to know more? Check out the 2012 Yearbook
the-world-in-south-florida/ of American and Canadian Churches. The
Yearbook costs $50 and may be ordered at
37 http://www.yearbookofchurches.org. You can also

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_messiah 39 The 2001 edition, successor to his 1982 first edition, which
_claimants took a decade to compile, identifies 10,000 distinct religions;
of which 150 have 1 million or more followers. Within
38 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koreshanity Christianity, he counts 33,820 denominations.
Back to the Index
17

find a listing of denominations and their websites at Note: On December 6th, 1865 the 13th amendment
http://hirr.hartsem.edu/denom/homepages.html abolished slavery. Passed by Congress, and ratified
February 3, 1870, the 15th amendment granted
Was the Unity a sect or a cult? African American men the right to vote. Women
Question: "What is the difference between a sect of any color were not allowed to vote until 1920 by
and a cult?"40 the 19th amendment, men or women, were regarded
The term Cult or Sect have been used loosely and as property with no rights at all?42
interchangeably by contemporary religions of that
day as well as in modern times as meaning Why were so many of Teed’s follower's women?
something wrong or evil or at the best different.41 A perspective of the times.
So, in the sense of different, then yes, the
Koreshans could be described as a sect. Women were regarded,
as little more than the
SECT: However the word sect comes from the property of their
Latin word secta, which means “school of husbands at that time.
thought.” It is a subjective term that may apply to a A married woman
religious faith or denomination. Keep in mind that could not own property,
in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s anything that nor vote. Any money
was not Catholic, Presbyterian or Lutheran were or property belonged to
regarded, for the most part, by them as a cult or the husband. Even the
sect. That is a nontraditional religious belief marriage vows
system. The Koreshans did believe in Christ as themselves demanded
being The Son of God and the Bible but had beliefs of the wife to “love,
that were non-traditional or different. So in that honor and OBEY their husband. Please see 1
regard, they would fit the definition of a Sect. Peter 3.43 For the most part, a biblical directive
set aside. Where did the concept of wives
CULT: The word cult always carries a negative obedience to their husbands come from the
connotation. There are specific criteria used to Church or the Bible? Well, both - please see Eph.
identify a cult. In Combating Cult Mind Control, 5:22. As well as Titus 2:4-5 Even in the early
Deprogrammer Steven Hassan singles out what he church women were not allowed to speak but
refers to as “destructive cults,” which he defines as must remain silent (I Cor. 14:34). Even children
“a pyramid-shaped authoritarian regime with a are admonished by the Bible to obey their
person or a group of people that have dictatorial parents in everything,
control. A couple of examples of closed societies
or cult would be Jim Jones (of the Peoples Temple Divorce in the 19th century
of the Disciples of Christ, and David Koresh of the
Branch Davidian Church in Waco, TX (no The divorce rate in 1900 was less than 10%.
connection to the Koreshans here). In more Divorce rate today is over 50%. Please keep in
contemporary terms the Soviet Union of Russia, as mind many couples today live in untraditional
well as the Peoples Republic of China, would marriages where government records would not
qualify as a non-religious cult. However, unlike a
cult and some other such Utopian communities that 49 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands;
were not closed to outsiders. that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be
won by the conversation of the wives;

40 http://www.gotquestions.org/sect-cult.html 50 Exodus 21:15 English Standard Version (ESV)
41 Credit: http://www.gotquestions.org/sect-cult.html

18

show the “marriage” as a marriage or a “divorce” VICTORIAN AGE (1837 to 1901) –
as a divorce. However, more than half of More background regarding
marriages fail. Divorce was frowned upon in the celibacy
late 1800’s and early 1900’s, and many women
lived in quiet desperation. Also, many women Victorian Morality: The term represents the moral
were unskilled or uneducated and had large of the people living in the Victorian times. It mainly
families and could not afford to leave their refers to the moral climate in general in Great
husbands. Britain during the 19th century. Victorian morality
could be described as a set of values that
Reason 2: Many women widowed: supported sexual repression, low tolerance of
crime, and a strong social ethic. Due to the
enormous impact and importance of the British
Empire, many of these values were spread across the
world.44

WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN THE VICTORIAN AGE

More background on why women may have come to More
the unity: The Civil War. Many women were left background:
widowed by the Civil War that took the lives of During this time
620,000 with some estimates’ as high as 750,000 in history after a
men! 51,000 Americans died at Gettysburg alone, in woman married,
three days, almost as many as were killed in all of her rights, her
the Vietnam War of 58,209! The total deaths were property, and
more Americans that died in WWII, WW1, Vietnam even her identity
War, Korean War, The War of 1812, and the (taking on her husbands’ last name) almost caused
Mexican-American War of 1846 combined! her to cease to exist. By law, she was under the
complete and total supervision of her husband: thus
The widows, left by the war and were often, with through marriage, husband and wife became one
large families and with no work skills, education or person; whatever view he presented was the
resources they were impoverished. The only jobs unquestionable truth.
available, for most, were shopkeepers (if you could
read and had some math skills), domestic servants Not only did the husband have almost complete
and prostitutes and of course the widow may control over his wife’s body, since beatings and
remarry. Keep in mind that there was a shortage of marital rape were not illegal, their children also
men due to the war and many women were forced to belonged to him, as did any property and money that
marry men much younger or much older than they the wife brought into the house. Indeed, it is
were. The Koreshan Unity appeared to be a good understandable to see why many women saw
alternative. marriage as falling little short of slavery. Dr.
(Koresh) Teed even referred to this condition as the
“Slavery of marriage.” However, Victorian society
viewed marriage as women’s natural and best

44http://www.laura-cenicola.de/brithist2/brithist/8-1-
introduction-into-victorian-morality-what-exactly-was-the-
victorian-era.html

19

position in life, and men agreed, seeing marriage as
an expected duty of women.45 One contemporary

Victorian male, writing in a letter to a friend,

described the perfect wife as nothing more than an
extension of his household surroundings: “Of course

at a certain age, he goes on to say, when you have a

house, and so on, you get a wife as part of its
furniture.” Ref: (Kent 91). 46 47 (sic)

In reality, women held a significant position as When and where did women
wives since they took care of the household, any earn the right to vote?
servants, and helped with their husband’s work.
Also, they managed the finances; however from the Learn the year in which women's suffrage was granted,
male’s point of view, women were nothing more organized by year. New Zealand was the first country to allow
than overly emotional and mindless creatures ruled women to vote (in 1893), while King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
by their sexuality, or just only “the Sex.” granted women the right to vote in 2011. The United States
Ref: (Vickery 389) Learn More - Separate finally began allowing women to vote in 1920, after the
spheres48|| ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

Koreshans that are demonstrating for women’s right https://www.infoplease.com/us/gender-
to vote. The sign says “Votes for Women.” sexuality/womens-suffrage

Dr. Teed
offered
women a way
out. Members
could join the Unity as a
family or as individuals. The woman could join the
Unity, and if she had
a husband, she could bring him if he chose to
come. If the husband decided not to come, she
could join the group and bring her children if she
wanted to and her husband would permit.

45 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_the_Victorian_era Were Koreshan women given equal rights to
men? Equal rights as stated here had to do more
46 with job opportunities, education, and equal pay;
(using the credit system). Matters of political or
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_the_Victorian_era#V religious importance, as well as the governing of
ictorian_morality_and_sexuality the Unity, were left in the hands of Emperor Cyrus
47 https://rachlouisepea.wordpress.com/2013/11/07/victorian- (Koresh) Teed. Having a say in matters of the
views-on-women-and-marriage/ Unity did not mean that what they had to say
would be accepted. Remember, we still have Dr.
48 Teed which was a self-proclaimed Prophet,
Messiah, and Emperor. However, the fact that they
http://webpage.pace.edu/nreagin/tempmotherhood/fall2003/3/
HisPage.html

20

had a say within itself on any matter to be regarded especially for women?
as Teed’s follower's women? A perspective of
the times. NO HOUSEWORK – Unless the member’s job
Women were regarded, as little more than the was housework. They did not have to do
property of their husbands at that time. A married housework because the Unity had a maid service
woman could not own property, nor vote. Any made up of some of the members.
money or property belonged to the husband. Even
the marriage vows themselves demanded of the NO CHILD CARE
wife to “love, honor and OBEY their husband. They did not need to care for their children
Please see 1 Peter 3.49 For the most part, a biblical because the Unity had a dorm and a school
directive set aside. Where did the concept of wives composed of Unity members. Although the parent
obedience to their husbands come from the Church could interact with their children or child, Dr. Teed
or the Bible? Well, both - please see Eph. 5:22. As felt that all children should be loved by all members
well as Titus 2:4-5 Even in the early church of the Unity equally and discouraged members from
women were not allowed to speak but must remain showing favoritism to their own offspring(s) just as
silent (I Cor. 14:34). God loved all of us His children equally.

Even children are admonished by the Bible to obey NO COOKING OR DISHWASHING
their parents in everything. Meals were prepared and served in the Koreshan
dining hall by some of the Unity members whose
Women could take almost any job offered in the job was cooking. They could return to his or her
Unity. The women members receive the same pay living quarters and relaxed or studied the arts, music
as men using; something called, the credit system. or any other endeavor of his or her choice. I do not
(That is, one credit for one hour's work which want to imply that life was easy for the Koreshans,
could be used as money and traded for goods at the by modern-day standards it was not. They worked
Unity store. Men could use the credits to have a hard to build the Unity, a home, out of the Florida
cabin built for them at the Unity), and from all swamp!
reliable reports, women were treated with kindness
and respect. That is not to say that there were not However, they were making lives and home for
problems with disagreements among the members. themselves rather than for a European King or some
Simple logic would dictate that when you get any other despot. Men or women could enroll in the
number of people together, 2 or 250 you are bound Koreshan Pioneer University and learn useful skills.
to have differing opinions and disagreements and Especially for women, blacks, Asians, and Native
rule breaking. However, there is almost no written Americans, who were the object of discrimination,
record of unrest or rule breaking among the for them, it was a great opportunity. The critical
members; that is if problems arose they dealt with point is that the Koreshan School allowed adults to
them. attend. Adult education was unheard of back then;
thinking only children could go to school.
What was life like for the members of the Unity and
Thus, adult education was a revolutionary concept
49 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; right up there with women's rights.
that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be
won by the conversation of the wives;

50 Exodus 21:15 English Standard Version (ESV)

21

How did the Koreshans expect to MEMBERSHIP LEVELS:
survive into the future if they were There was a tri-level system of membership.
celibate?
PATRONS OF EQUATION The outer level was
CELIBACY made up of non-believers who were willing to work
There is also this concept of celibacy. However, for the Unity. This group allowed for marriage and
keep in mind that a significant and well respected participation in the secular aspects of the unity. No
modern day religion still has its inner circle of requirements were made of them other than, no
leadership as celibates. Moreover, if the Koreshan drinking, no use of tobacco products and no
member chose not to be celibate, they were allowed profanity.
to do so.
Also, they could leave the Unity if they changed DEPARTMENT OF EQUITABLE
their minds about marriage and family. ADMINISTRATION:
Empress Victoria Gratia left the Unity and attempted The middle group allowed for marriage, but sexual
to form her own Commune. However, she was relationships were only to be for reproduction.
unsuccessful in doing so. Then, two years after
leaving, she married the Unity Dentist Dr. Addison THE PRE-EMINENT UNITY The inner, core,
Graves. Remember, in the belief system of Koresh, group was the Celibate and Communal group,
being a celibate was the scientific way to gain, which did not allow marriage and practiced
eternal life. celibacy.

Were all of the members of the Unity Within each of these three levels were three
celibate? distinct branches, the Secular System, the
Commercial System, and the Vocational System,
No, there were three levels of membership that with a total of nine groups. 50
existed in the Koreshan belief system.
Did the Koreshins feel that sex was
immoral?

I could find no indication that Dr. Teed or the
Koreshins considered sex among married couples
for procreation to be immoral. The Koreshins
believed in the bible and followed, to the best of
their understanding, its teachings.

Moreover, the Bible is full of scriptures regarding
the marital relationship. In Genesis 1:28 God
commanded that Adam and Eve to “Be fruitful,
and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue
it.” However, sex, to the Koreshins, for any other
purpose was seen as unnecessary use of the
creative energy and did tend to draw people away
from God’s purpose in their lives.

50 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koreshan_Unity

22

Dr. Teed believed that the way to gain immortality Is there any relationship between the
(eternal life) was to use this sexual energy to birth Koreshans here in Estero and David
spiritual life rather than only physical life or merely Koresh of the Branch Davidian
physical pleasure. Please remember that Dr. Teed Church of Waco, Texas?
and Fidelia, his wife of 27 years, never divorced.
Thus, it could be argued that Dr. Teed did believe in Visitors to the park
the institution of marriage. frequently ask if the
Koreshans of Estero
Perhaps it also could be argued, from the Koreshan had any relationship
point of view, that even though sex is the way with David Koresh,
physical life is brought into existence, this same the leader of the
sexual energy could or even should be used to bring Branch Davidian
spiritual life into existence. Church in Waco,
Texas. It is ironic that
The sexual energy is creative energy at work. In both groups had
many contemporary Christian religions, the process several things in
of gaining eternal life is called the “New Birth.” common but had no
However, physical intercourse was regarded as little
more than a necessary evil, and its practice should affiliation with each other.
be limited to raising a family and not for any other
purpose, and the primary objective of this sexual They both practiced communal living with religion
energy was for birthing eternal life. To purify one
soul, they would have to refrain from the practice of as a base. Both groups had a leader who was a self-
sexual intercourse. This attitude was encouraged by proclaimed “Messiah,” Both groups were
the contemporary churches of the time, and
especially the Catholic Church; that celibacy would scrutinized by government agencies and both men
give one merit in the sight of God.
changed their names. David Koresh was initially
In my opinion, considering Teeds less than ideal
marriage, it was most likely a direct result and a named Vernon Howell, and Cyrus R. Teed
remnant of changed his name to Koresh. 51
The Victorian age (1837 to 1901) almost the exact
dates of Dr. Teed’s life (1839 to 1908). As well as What was the Koreshans New Jerusalem?
the tremendous influence of the Catholic Church,
especially among the leadership and their views on
marriage and sex.

In that climate, anything having to do with
procreation (or sex) was thought of as improper and
was not to be spoken of.

The Koreshans under the guidance of Cyrus

51 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/4479/just-who-were-the-
koreshans

23

(Koresh) Teed carved out of this wilderness which Google - Koreshan State Historic Site (Koreshan
he planned to become his New Jerusalem. After State Park) for more photos.
1894, when Teed was 55, he and the group moved to
this area that would become the small Florida town Credit: Structures at KSP Built before and after
of Estero. They, the Koreshans, were seeking a 1908 and their Historical Significance Structure
place to build Dr. (Koresh) Teed’s vision of a "New Date Constructed Historical Significance
Jerusalem" in that locale. The name Estero is (Member(s), Function) of the above credits. Table
Spanish for estuary – meaning where the river meets 3.1.) (Click on the link to view photos)
the sea. However, at that time there was no town of
Estero. 1882 Damkohler House (not built by the Koreshans)
1894 Member, Function Bamboo Landing - Image 2
This Koreshan “New Jerusalem” would be the 1896 Function Founder’s House
place where Dr. Teed (Koresh) envisioned his 1896 Member, Function Dinner Bell
10,000,000 Koreshan membership would live and 1896 Dining Hall (No longer here)
work. Around 1905 to 1908 the number of members 1902 The Old Store (No longer here)
in Estero reached its peak at around 250 members, 1903 Function Bakery
mostly women. However, there were several other 1903 The Publishing House (No longer here)
groups in different states giving a more overall total 1903 Function Conrad Schlender Cottage /
number of members (some sources say as many as
4,000.) (Credit.)52 Membership Cottage
1904 Member, Function Planetary Court
How many buildings are there in the 1904 Members Large Machine Shop
park? 1904 Laundry Hour (No longer here)
1905 Function Art Hall
THE BUILDINGS: Originally the Koreshans had 1905 Function Small Machine Shop
over sixty buildings here on the grounds. As 1908 Teed’s Beach House (No longer here)
membership declined after Teed’s death in 1908 1908 Teed’s Mausoleum / (No longer here)
many of the buildings were no longer needed and 1920 The New Store
were destroyed so they would not have to pay taxes 1926 Gas Station (No longer here)
on them. Today there are eleven beautifully 1940/41 The Koreshan Unity Trailer Park (Just
maintained historic structures that date from 1882 to north of the Estero River on US-41)
1940.
1 There were apparently more believers around the
52 There were apparently more believers around the country. Wikipedia: Eventually, Teed took his
country. Wikipedia: Eventually, Teed took his followers to Estero, Florida, to form his "New
followers to Estero, Florida, to form his "New Jerusalem" in 1894. The community was at its peak
Jerusalem" in 1894. The community was at its peak 1903-198, when it had over 250 residents. There
1903-1908, when it had over 250 residents. There were apparently another 4,000 believers around the
were apparently another 4,000 believers around the country.
country.
Teed had a vision in which he was to establish a The KSP contains a collection of original buildings
utopian city of 10,000,000 with streets up to 400 and structures, eleven of which were constructed by
feet (120 m) wide. Membership declined following 1905. Also, there are some flowers and fauna that
his death in 1908. were planted by the Koreshans.

Back to the Index The Koreshans along with Dr. Teed acquired 320 f Teed had a
vision in which he was to establish a utopian city of
10,000,000 with streets up to 400 feet (120 m) wide.

24

Membership declined following his death in 1908. ESTERO, THE EARLY YEARS
acres of land south of Fort Myers, Florida part of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estero,_Florida
which would become Estero. This land area grew to
become more than 6,000 - some reports of as much
as 7,500 acres at its height. Some of the land was

owned by individual members of the Unity to The Old Store on the right behind the autos was
protect against legal complications. In 1904 the constructed in 1902 /1903, and the New Store on the
Koreshans filed to incorporate their community into left faces a dirt road that would become US-41 when
the village of Estero, and this did not go well with completed in April 1928.
the local folks, who thought it would increase their
taxes. The Koreshans were able to incorporate 110 THE OLD STORE
square miles into the village of Estero in 1904, This is the Koreshan Old Store on the Estero River in
making it the 5th largest city in Florida. the early 1900’s. The first floor held merchandise
received or shipped to be sold. The second floor
The Koreshans even Contained items to be sold locally, such as bread
created a town seal: baked by the Koreshans, honey from their
the sun rising over a Beehives, and items needed by the settlers. It was a
waterscape with a general store used by homesteaders in the Estero area.
swan floating in the The third floor, of the old store, served as a dormitory
water. (See for men in the Koreshan community as well as room to
illustration on the let to travelers. Sort of the 7-11 and Holiday Inn of its
left). At the top, a six- day. Both stores existed side by side for a time. The
pointed star (Seal of old store building, structure faced north and fronting
Solomon). Then in the Estero River. The Old Store was damaged
1907, the State of
Florida abolished the
village. It was not until late in 2014; the community
officially became the Village of Estero.

25

several times by flooding. Then in August of 1938, north of Estero. It later returned to Estero in August
it burned down and was not rebuilt. of 1983 into a new facility on former Koreshan land
on Broadway. Note: a sign that reads,
The old store, seen here on your left faced the Estero
River the best means of travel, if not the only means, "Information Fort Myers-Lee County Chamber
at the time. It was an all-day affair (around 1.5 to 2 of Commerce." The current post office is today
miles per hour) to go from Fort Myers to Estero located on Three Oaks Parkway. Then the new store
about 15 miles and was about a 10 to 12 + or - hour would serve as a general store and post office until
horseback ride to Estero. Of course, this would the Post Office was moved to San Carlos Park about
depend on the time of year. During the summer three miles north of the Estero River.
rainy season, the trail could be covered with water
and was muddy, making it much harder to travel. THE KORESHAN UNITY TRAILER PARK
The Tamiami Trail officially opened on April 25,
1928. Estero was little more than a swamp. It took a The Trailer Park, built in the early 1940’s on the
lot of long hours and hard work to clear land; build north side of the Estero River near US-41. The
roads; plant crops and creates a community out of photo on the left is a view of the trailer parks main
the Florida wilderness. It was not an easy life by office. Currently, the Trailer Park is used today by
any modern standard, but it was a life they were resident members of the volunteer staff and is now
building for themselves. Roads were little more than called The Volunteer Villag. park in Estero, Florida
dirt trails between the neighboring towns. From in the 1950s.
Estero to Bonita Springs is about 8 miles or, about
six more hours and from Bonita Springs to Naples, THE POLITICS
Florida is about 14 miles. The Estero River is OF THE
approximately 6.4 miles long and empties into KORESHANS
Estero Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico. It is The people of Lee
about 4.5 miles from Estero to the Gulf of Mexico. County were
Up until Florida finished US-41 in the mid-1920s staunch followers
the Estero River was the primary way to move of the Democratic
people, goods and materials from one city to the Party and made the
other. Estero fell between Fort Myers, Bonita Koreshans sign a
Springs, and Naples. Bonita Springs then was called document, or
“Survey” and the stream running through it, otherwise coerced
“Surveyor's Creek.” At the time it became much them to only vote
easier and faster to use the Estero River to travel to Democrat in all
neighboring cities. US-41 then became the elections. However,
preferred way of travel. There was a Mobil Gas
Station (no longer here) on the east side of US-41.
By the way, gasoline sold for 19 cents a gallon in
1943.

General Note about the Post Office (A first-class
stamp was 5 cents in 1960.)

In 1960, the post office left Estero and was relocated
to a storefront in San Carlos Park, about 2 miles

26

in 1904 the Koreshans voted for Teddy Roosevelt a Looking For A Place To Build The
Republican. So Lee County (Fort Myers) threw all Koreshan “New Jerusalem.”
of the Koreshans votes out. In 1904 the population
of Ft. Myers was around 1500 men, women, and MOVING TO FLORIDA
children. Assuming that 33% were men other than The first trip to Florida in early December 1893 was
Asians and Native Americans, Remember, Native not without consequence. Dr. Teed met with a Mr.
Americans, Asians and women were not allowed to Whitehead,54 who offered to sell land on Pine
vote. Women gained the right to vote in 1920 by the Island (off the beaten path even today, but close to
19th amendment to the Constitution some 16 years the Gulf of Mexico) and a way to the Koreshan
later. Unity. The asking price of $150,000 (approximately
- $4,500,000 in today’s money) was too much
However, women were allowed to pay taxes, and money for the Unity to pay, so the contingent
this was tantamount to taxation without returned to Chicago. Before Teed left, he conducted
representation. Sound familiar? Black Americans a series of lectures and distributed pamphlets. One
were given their freedom from slavery in 1865 by
the 12th amendment, and then in 1870 black men
were given the right to vote by the 15th amendment
to the Constitution, so if everyone voted, in Fort
Myers, that would be around 500 votes compared to
Koreshan votes of about 50. That was only 97 years
ago. This engendered much anger among the two
groups and may have contributed to the beating of
Cyrus (Koresh) Teed and his eventual death.

The above, beating fuelled by a misunderstanding of the pamphlets landed in the hands of a German
over a telephone conversation, ultimately resulted in immigrant named Gustave Damkohler.
a conflict between several Koreshan men, including
Teed, and some citizens of Fort Myers, accompanied THE GUSTAVE DAMKOHLER COTTAGE
by the town of Fort Myers law enforcement, Gustave Damkohler was born on December 13,
Marshal Sanchez, on October 13, 1906. The Fort 1825, in Blankenburg, Germany and was the first
Myers newspaper alleged that Dr. Teed, a slight man homesteader55 in Estero in 1882. He farmed along
of 67, 145 pounds, five and a half feet tall, with a the Estero River and then used the river to ship his
size 14-inch neck and outnumbered started the harvests and goods north via the Gulf of Mexico.
brawl. Teed was struck in the head by the town Damkohler was a remarkable man. He invented a
marshal several times that may have resulted in fireless cooker (heat stove). He gathered many
permanent damage, perhaps contributing or even orphans, educated and took care of them. He was a
causing his death, two years later from his injuries, landscape gardener and a medical doctor, although
at age 69. there is no record that he ever practiced medicine.

Also, the Koreshans formed a political party called 54 They met a Mr. Whitehead who showed them the property at
the Progressive Liberty Party to run against the St. James City. The cost was too much for the Koreshans,
area’s established Democrats in the election of 1906. $150,000.00.
55 http://www.news-press.com/story/life/130-
53 years/2014/12/07/gustave-damkoehler/20068753/

53 http://koreshan.mwweb.org/teed_kshs.htm

27

He moved to Australia 1846, at the age of 21, to and, perhaps, was not able to do what needed to be
mine for gold, but unable to “Strike it Rich” as a physically done to clear the land. Also, taking into
miner ended up as a cook in a mining camp. He was consideration a run of bad luck from cattlemen
there just a few years, and then he came back to burning off of acreage that Damkohler had planted
Germany until the early1880’s and then left crops on so that it could be used for grazing land for
Germany for America, now close to 56 years old, cattle as well as illness of him and his family
moving to Missouri he was married to Alma (discussed later). The amount of citrus, pineapple,
(maiden name is unknown) Alma who was 28 years and a few other crops, Damkohler could produce
younger than him (1853 to 1884). Then hearing that was limited to just a fraction of the land he was able
The Government was giving away land, 160 acres, to clear.
to people willing to homestead it, he and his wife
and two daughters and his son, Elwin moved to and He raised silkworm, honey bees and fished to make
located in, what would become Estero. a living. Then, for the Damkohler’s, bad turned to
worse. The Damkohler family became ill with some
Gustave Damkohler was born on December 13, unknown malady. In a short amount of time,
1825, in Blankenburg, Germany and was the first Damkohler would lose his wife after giving birth to
homesteader56 in Estero in 1882. He farmed along his son and his two daughters to this disease.
the Estero River and then used the river to ship his Damkohler would travel to neighboring towns to
harvests and goods north via the Gulf of Mexico. collect provisions for his kin, including food for his
Damkohler was a remarkable man. He invented a newborn son. The trip would take several days, so
fireless cooker (heat stove). He gathered many Damkohler arranged for his neighbor (mysteriously
orphans, educated and took care of them. He was a referred to as Mr. X) to watch over his family while
landscape gardener and a medical doctor, although he was gone. The trip could take a week or more
there is no record that he ever practiced medicine. depending on the weather.

He moved to Australia 1846, at the age of 21, to Elwin Damkohler recalls the events
mine for gold, but unable to “Strike it Rich” as a in his book: Estero 1892 -Memories of the
miner ended up as a cook in a mining camp. He was
there just a few years, and then he came back to First Settlers.” Note: The use of the reference to
Germany until the early1880’s and then left “Mr. X” rather than a real name could have been for
Germany for America, now close to 56 years old, legal reasons. In that, to accuse a person of murder
moving to Missouri he was married to Alma without proof would be slander.
(maiden name is unknown) Alma who was 28 years
younger than him (1853 to 1884). Then hearing that Elwin Damkohler goes
The Government was giving away land, 160 acres, on to say in his book:
to people willing to homestead it, he and his wife …however, our
and two daughters and his son, Elwin moved to and suspicions were aroused.
located in, what would become Estero. It became clear that "Mr.
X" 'had an ulterior
He later acquired an additional 160 acres. However, motive. He had a friend, and he wanted my father to
this enterprise did not work well for Damkohler. marry this friend. Father hesitated. He said he
The land was hard to clear and took time, and needed time to deliberate. Not long afterward, our
Damkohler was in his mid to late 60’s (around 69) baby brother showed signs of illness. Then the other
children became sick. Father could not determine
56 http://www.news-press.com/story/life/130- the cause. He called in an English doctor. Neither
years/2014/12/07/gustave-damkoehler/20068753/ could diagnose the ailment. Two months later our
baby brother died. Then my youngest sister and a

28

little while later, my oldest sister died. I was a was final, Damkohler stepped forward and asked to
walking skeleton. Father and the other doctor were join the Unity. Now, as a member of the Unity
prepared for my death which they felt would surely Damkohler had to forfeit the 20 acres and the $200
come. But I did not die. I overcame the poison which paid him for the land. Allegedly, this did not go well
the diabolical "Mr. X." had introduced into our with his son Elwin, which felt Teed had tricked his
food. His scheme was revealed two years later. He father into disinheriting him.
had poisoned us children with white lead. His plan
was to have father marry his friend before suffering THE FLY IN THE OINTMENT
a like fate. "Mr. X." and his friend would then have Damkohler at age 53 had a son, Elwin
300 acres along Estero Creek worth about $25,000 Damkohler57
(1878 – 1969 passed at age 91).
at that time. When it became evident that I would
live, "Mr. X." disappeared. Father and I, both Photo of Elwin Damkohler –
exhausted from these harrowing happenings, the later years.
decided to take a trip down the coast in our little Damkohle son, Elwinn, did
skiff sailboat for a complete rest.” (sic) not trust the Koreshans and
especially Teed which he
A WAY OUT OF THE SWAMP believed tricked his father
Photo of Elwin Damkohler into disinheriting him and
was angry at his father for
For the next eight years or so selling the family property
Damkohler farmed the land to Teed. Remember the
here in Estero. Now around Unity is a commune and all
69, he ran across some personal property of the
Koreshan pamphlets which members, upon joining, becomes property owned in
were left behind by Dr. Cyrus common by the Unity. Therefore Damkohler had to
Teed (Koresh) on his visit to give all of his estate to the Koreshans as well as the
Pine Island, to look at some 20 acres he held back for his son. In return, the
property there for the Unity, Koreshans would take care of him and his son. In
the pamphlets fell into the my opinion, it appears that is not likely that this was
hands of Damkohler. (Pine Island is about 32 miles a trick by Dr. Teed because; it seems that he was not
north of Estero.) aware of Damkohler wanting to become a Unity
member until after the sale. Under any circumstance,
Damkohler liked what the pamphlets said and the deal in the mind of Damkohler, at the time,
thought it to be a good idea to sell or even give his appeared to be a good one.
property to Cyrus Teed and join the Koreshan Unity
and he, and his son, now 14, would be taken care of Later, however, Damkohler became disenchanted
for the rest of their lives. In response to a letter sent with the deal and sued Teed. Elwin had lost his two
to Dr. Teed, he and an entourage of his closest sisters and infant brother and when only six years
followers returned to Southwest Florida to look at old had lost his mother as well. Later, Elwin, now
the property in Estero. Damkohler and Teed came to around age 19 or 20 convinced his father to sue the
an agreement where he would purchase 300 acres Koreshans to get back the 320 acres. However,
from Damkohler for $200 acquired, equivalent to Gustave and Elwin settled with Teed out of court for
about $6,000 in today’s money, an excellent deal.
57http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-
Damkohler held back 20 acres most likely for his bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=38422100
son, Elwin then around 14 years old. After the deal

29

160 acres. The big winner was Louis A. Hendry, the public. The Model T Ford would be followed, 19
Gustave’s lawyer who kept 80 acres as his fee. years later, in 1927 by the Model A-Ford.
Then, Elwin moved to Alaska to mine for gold.
Later, Damkohler joins his son in Alaska. Five years before Teed’s death, in 1903 the Right
Damkohler died in Alaska at age 90. Brothers flew the first power-driven controllable
aircraft at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. It was only
Elwin returned to Florida and became the Captain of 66 years later that Astronaut Neal Armstrong landed
a Charter Fishing Boat. on the moon.

THE FOUNDERS HOME

THE BAMBOO LANDING The Founders home was built in 1896.
Above is one of the homes of Dr. Cyrus R. Teed the
Before US-41 which was completed in the 1920’s. founder of the Koreshan Unity. His other house was
The Bamboo Landing was used as a port for located on Estero Island (Fort Myers Beach) where
loading and unloading passengers visiting the Unity Cyrus was buried in 1908. On the right side of the
and was the formal entrance to the settlement and building is a partially completed structure called a
gardens. The Koreshans would give live turret. The turret (tower) was designed to give the
performances and concerts on the stage (landing) to building a castle-like appearance, and allegedly the
visitors that would anchor their boats in the water to completed turret was to have a gold dome at its top.
enjoy the performances. At that time the Estero
River was more passable and two to three times Then when visitors would come up the Estero River
wider, but because of the mangrove roots to visit the Unity and disembark from their boat onto
encroaching on the river, which are now illegal to the Bamboo Landing, they would be awed by the
cut, without a permit, it has become narrowed to beauty of the home. At the time of Dr. Teeds’ death
about one-half to one-third of what it was then. construction was halted on the home and the turret
was never finished.
A perspective of the times:
At one time the Founders’ home had arches on two
It was in sides. Because of termite damage to the home, the
September of home was renovated. The concrete arches that
1908, about three surrounded the house had to be removed to repair
months before Dr. the termite damage.
Teed's death that
Henry Ford
introduced his
Model T Ford to

30

The Founder home was built in 1896. did not like her. Twelve years after her departure,
To your left is one of the homes of Dr. Cyrus R. the same year of the hurricane, Victoria wrote a
Teed the founder of the Koreshan Unity. His other proclamation to the Unity at Estero offering to
house was located on Estero Island (Fort Myers return. I could find no reference that her offer was
Beach) where Cyrus was buried in 1908. On the accepted or rejected, but I could find no indication
right side of the building is a partially completed that she ever returned. Still, Victoria always had a
structure called a turret. The turret (tower) was small following, some of whom followed her to
designed to give the building a castle-like Central Florida after she left the Unity. Victoria
appearance, and allegedly the completed turret was always seemed to believe that she was the female
to have a gold dome at its top. Then when visitors Koresh, even though she married Dr. Graves, the
would come up the Estero River to visit the Unity Koreshan dentist, two years after leaving the Unity.
and disembark from their boat onto the Bamboo
Landing, they would be awed by the beauty of the One could speculate that her marriage to Dr. Graves
home. At the time of Dr. Teeds’ death construction would make her, at least in the minds of the Unity
was halted on the home and the turret was never members, ineligible to lead a celibate Unity when
finished. she was not celibate.

At one time the Founders’ home had arches on two Portrait of Koreshans Henry and Etta
sides. Because of termite damage to the home, the Silverfriend with Hattie Wakeman holding citrus
home was renovated. The concrete arches that fruit.
surrounded the house had to be removed to repair
the termite damage. favor soon after the death of
Dr.Teed. Victoria’s “popularity” (if we can use that
word), never really amounted to much. Indeed, as
long as Teed was alive, she maintained power, but
this was because Dr. Teed would always defend her
and her position within the Koreshan Unity. She
lacked the charisma of Dr. Teed and came off as
arrogant, and full of herself. After the

Living at this same location was Victoria Gratia THE PASSING OF CYRUS TEED:
(Koresh)58, a.k.a. Annie Glasson Ordway which Remember, in 1906 Teed was involved in an
Cyrus Teed Koresh, a self-proclaimed Emperor, altercation between Fort Myers men and members of
had given her the title of Empress thus, capitalizing the Unity. Marshal Sanchez, the Fort Myers sheriff,
on the male/female concept of God in corporeal pistol-whipped Teed. Cyrus Teed suffered injuries
form. Empress Victoria Gratia has always been from which he never recovered, then add to this the
somewhat a bit of a mystery. She was in a place of heat stroke he suffered while in the Union Army. He
leadership within the Unity and even crowned died on December 22, 1908.
Empress by Teed. Victoria seemed to drop from
passing of Dr. Teed Victoria attempted to step into
the position left vacant by his death. She met with
no little resistance from the Unity members they just

58 name, Teed's followers initially expected his resurrection,
after which he and his faithful would be taken up to
Millner, Lyn. Allure of Immortality: An American Cult, a heaven as he had predicted in his book: The

Florida Swamp, and a Renegade Prophet (Kindle Location
2331 – Chapter 6). University Press of Florida. Kindle Edition.

31

Immortal Manhood. The membership placed mausoleum, zinc bathtub and all, near his island
Teed’s body in a custom-made zinc bathtub covered home on Estero Island (Fort Myers Beach). Now a
from the waist down with a linen sheet. Plan A. On diminishing number of members took turns
Christmas day, three days after his death, the watching the tomb, but Koresh did not come back
members of a group gathered around that zinc from the dead. This plan too was abandoned after a
bathtub, which held the remains of the “Beloved period of time.
Founder” and with great anticipation, believed the
Founder would raise from the dead in much the Plan C. A smaller group of a few of his most loyal
same matter as Jesus Christ.59 They reasoned that members, stood to watch over the gravesite to
Jesus was entombed for three days and rose on the protect it from vandalism or any harm to the site and
third day. Dr. Teed (Koresh) died on December 22nd to be a witness should Dr. Cyrus Teed (Koresh) rise
just three days before Christmas. It would seem to from the grave. After a time, this plan was
appear to the members the timing was perfect. They abandoned by, yet another, of the disappointed and
kept a constant vigil over his body for two days, discourage members as well.
after which time it began to show signs of decay.
Following Christmas, the Lee County health officer Plan D. Then some of the members decided to place
stepped in to order his burial. sand around the gravesite and carefully smoothed it
out to show Dr. Teed’s footprints should he arise.
Plan A. On Christmas day, three days after his Sadly for the members, no footprints appeared.
death, the members of a Eventually, this plan was replaced by yet another.
group gathered around that
zinc bathtub, which held Plan E. Then a small boat was anchored near the
the remains of the tomb to give Dr. Teed, should he rise from the dead,
“Beloved Founder” and a way to get back from Estero Island to the mainland
with great anticipation, and the Koreshan Unity. A small cabin on the
believed the Founder grounds was used to house members who watched
would raise from the dead over the grave site and to protect it from vandals.
in much the same matter
as Jesus Christ.60 Then in 1921, a hurricane blew Koreshs house, his
They reasoned that Jesus mausoleum, Teeds remains Zink bathtub and all into
was entombed for three the Gulf of Mexico. Only a few of his bones were
ever found, his skull and several other bones. The
days and rose on the third day. Dr. Teed (Koresh) members lovingly place his bones into the only
died on December 22nd just three days before building that allegedly, had a lock, the Old Store,
Christmas. It would seem to appear to the members but sadly, it burned down.
the timing was perfect. They kept a constant vigil
over his body for two days, after which time it
began to show signs of decay. Following Christmas,
on day four day after the Founders death, the Lee
County health officer stepped in to order his burial.

Plan B. The members, somewhat disappointed, still
believe that Dr. Cyrus (Koresh) Teed’s would rise
from the dead so the members did not bury him in
the ground, but placed his remains in a small

32

For more photos of the Planetary Court, please click Planetary Court, thus named for the seven known
here. planets in the world at the time. From roles of
leadership as treasurer of the community to business
The staircase found in the Planetary Court, home of manager of the publishing operation for determining
the Seven Sisters was built by a ship's carpenter the school’s curriculum, to teaching in the
named Steven Chislett, around 1906, using wood community school, to serving as authors and
call “Dade Heartwood Pine.”72 The dark vibrant lecturers on Koreshanity and been active in the
color of the wood is natural and no stains were women’s right to vote campaign.
applied.
Why did the Planetary Court, as well as all other
THE SEVEN SISTERS (1917) living quarters, have no closets, baths or
Photos of the Seven Sisters on your left: Unlike the kitchens?
other female members of the Unity, which lived in
an ordinary dorm, the Seven Sisters had their own No bathrooms, no running water and a belief by
home and their private bed-chambers /office. Three some it was wrong to have a toilet in the same place
of the seven lived on the first floor and four on the you lived. The Unity used outhouses.
second floor.
The only male occupant was Henry Silverfriend a However, after the death of Dr. Teed and the decline
brother of Henrietta Silverfriend. He lived on the top of the membership, the home was occupied by
floor the Cupola. See the following Hedwig Michel (more on her later), and she had a
bathroom built on the second floor of the Planetary
The Planetary Council (The Seven Sisters) Court. The other members of the Planetary Court
The seven women who formed the governing did not feel it proper to have a bathroom in the same
council of the Settlement, and who conducted the place you live in and refused to live there. Hedwig
day-to-day business of the Settlement lived in the had the home all to herself.

No Closets – Closets would have been taxed as a
room.

No kitchens – All members ate in the common
dining hall.

33

Was their equality of the sexes? confident and in charge of implementing Teed's
Of course, Victoria was on the road as well, but I
have yet to see much evidence of her or the
Planetary Court Sisters running the day to day
activities outside the Unity. I think that Teed
believed in the equality o f the sexes, but he was
also a realist and saw that the world outside of
Estero, at least in the early 20th century, was a
Man’s World.

GEORGE HUNT (1864-1942)

As seen in the decisions when Teed was traveling. Victoria had the
correspondence between title of being co-leader, but George made the wheels
Teed and George Hunt, turn.
when Teed was on the road,
he corresponded with Hunt. Who is in the grave next to the
Hunt became the face of Bakery?
authority, in the absence of
Dr. (Koresh) Teed, and ran HEDWIG MICHEL
the day to day activities at (1892 – 1982) passed at
the Unity. age 90)
The last remaining
George Hunt was responsible for dealing with the follower, Hedwig Michel,
outside world as the voice of the Seven Sisters and (age 42). She had learned
Victoria. George would speak to the neighboring of the Koreshans in
communities on the business affairs of the Unity. Germany, and as a Jew
Although there is some documentation the Henry had fled Nazi persecution
Silverfriend brother to one of the Seven Sisters, in 1940 and joined the
Henrietta (Etta) Silverfriend, spoke for the Unity to Unity. Michel was a “shot
in the arm” for the failing
the world outside in Unity and pumped into the
earlier years. The Settlement new life and
relationship between gave them additional years of existence. Then in
George and Henry: It is 1961, she deeded the central portion of the
my take that Henry was communal grounds of Florida to form a state park.
Teed's business rep and In 1967 after the eleven buildings were restored the
traveled extensively to Koreshan State Park became the Koreshan State
develop new business Historic Site. 61 Then in late 2017, the name was
interests. He also was changed back to the original name of: Koreshan
the rep for the ladies of State Park.
the Planetary Court in
local business dealings. 61 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koreshan_Unity
George Hunt was, in
reality, the #2 man under
Teed and was Teed's right-hand man so to speak.
The letters to Hunt from Teed show that he was a

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Hedwig Michel continued to live in the building served as a dorm for the baker’s apprentices. A
called the "Planetary Court." She died in 1982 and room containing the baker’s ovens was attached to
is the only Koreshan buried within the park because the main building (no longer here). Most likely to
the graveyard of the members was underwater at the confine the heat to the bakery and not the bakers
time due to heavy rains. work area.

The bread contained yeast causing it to rise, so the
local folks of the surrounding town call it “Rising
Bread.” The town-folks loved it because the bread
they were used to was bread cooked in a skillet on
the stove and called Skillet Bread. The Koreshan
bread was much like the white bread you would
purchase in stores today. Skillet Bread was
unleavened bread and for most was less appetizing.

Where are the other Koreshans buried?
Two other Koreshan cemeteries are nearby, one of
which lies within the gated community of Pelican
Sound and the other on land owned by the
Audubon Society. Partly due to the Koreshan belief
in, a form of reincarnation, little, if anything, was
done to care for the cemeteries. The only
permanent gravestones were put in by
family members.

THE BAKERY THE DINING HALL, KITCHEN, AND
The first floor was the bakery. Where allegedly, the WOMEN’S DORM
bakers could bake as many as 600 loaves of bread a The dining hall was next to the bakery. The Hall
day. However, usually, they baked from 200 to 250 was torn down in 1949. This three-story building
loaves a day to feed the members and to sell in the used as a women’s dorm, kitchen, and common
store. The second floor of the bakery was used as a eating area. At the time of the construction of the
dorm for the bakers, around 6 to 8 in all and also building, it was the tallest building in Lee County.
The dining area could seat all of the Unity members,
men on one side and women on the other. In the
center was a raised platform where Cyrus and
Victoria would eat when they were there. Next to
that level was seating for the Seven Sisters, not quite
as high as Cyrus and Victoria seats, but higher than
the rest of the Unity seating.

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THE DINNER BELL formerly located on the east side of the Unity
With a dwindling membership and failure to compound and had been used as a barber shop.
maintain the Dining Hall it was condemned by the Thus, the two doors – one for the barbershop and the
local building inspector and were torn down other for the living quarters of the barber.
1949. The only artifact remaining is the dinner bell.
The Unity would ring the Dinner Bell four times a The home was moved from its original place east of
day. Once, for breakfast, lunch and dinner and a its location now to be used as living quarters for
fourth time (around 10:00 PM) just before the Unity Vesta. She was a loyal follower of the Unity and
would shut down the electric generator, to allow the did what she was asked to do to help.
members to prepare for lights-out.
She never married and never had any children.
HOME OF VESTA NEWCOMB Portrait of Koreshans Julius Koester and Vesta
Newcomb (1969) Vesta Newcomb, at age 90
was alive to see the American Astronaut, Neal
Armstrong, walk on the Moon in July of 1969.
When asked by reporters, from the Fort Myers
News-Press, about her belief in Cellular
Cosmogony (That is, that we live inside of the earth)
she replied – “Well, I did believe it until I saw the
boys walking on the Moon.” Lillian (Vista)
Newcomb lived in the cabin here at the Koreshan
Park for another five years, and the group went into
decline. The property was donated to the State of
Florida and became a State Park in 1961. The four62
remaining members lived out their lives on the
grounds. Vesta Newcomb passed in 1974, and the
last member to die was Hedwig Michel which
passed away in 1982.

Lillian “Vesta” Newcomb was born in 1878 and Vesta
died in 1974 at the age of 95. She lived in this small Newcomb and
cottage until her death in 1974. She joined the friend.
Unity when she was 9 or 10. Then when she was
around 15 she moved to Estero to live with the
ther members.

For a time she lived in the women’s dorm, then as a 62 Vesta Newcomb, Hedwig Michel, Conrad Schlender and
housekeeper for “Empress” Victoria Gratia. Then Alfred Christianson.

she moved to a small cottage above, where she 36

lived out the remainder of her years. The home was

THE TENNIS COURT THE MEMBER’S COTTAGE (1903 / 1904)
The Tennis Court, located just south of the Vista It is a one-story cottage located near the Vesta
Newcomb home, was constructed in the 1940s. It Newcomb home Laundry House. It became the
was broken into sections in the late early 1950’s and home of Conrad Schlender (1876 – 1965) in the
reused as roadbed in the adjacent Koreshan owned late 1920’s during the depression era. Conrad
trailer park just across the Estero River from the Schlender’s primary job was farming and taking
New Store. Koreshan laundry appliances. – Washer, care of the Unity’s cattle. Later the home was used
middle Extractor & left Tumbler. In the above- as a guest house for the guests of the Unity and
colored photo. was one of two homes having an inside bathroom,
the Planetary Court being the other. This house
THE LARGE MACHINE SHOP would have been similar to those the male
Large Machine Shop. This one-story, wood frame members would have built using their credits for
structure, of irregular configuration, contained the hours worked
steam power equipment that served the adjacent
laundry and supplied power to various equipment THE LARGE MACHINE SHOP
used by the Unity. The Laundry House would have stood just to the
east end of the Large Machine Shop. This one-story,
The laundry house was removed in the late 1940s or wood frame structure, of irregular configuration,
early1950s The Laundry House would have stood contained the steam power equipment that served
just to the east end of the large machine shop.reshan the adjacent laundry and supplied power to various
laundry appliances. equipment used by the Unity. The laundry house
was removed in the late 1940s or early1950s.

37

Electric Generator Building was constructed in the
early 1900’s and housed the electrical generating

equipment for the Settlement. The equipment was

purchased and shipped to the Koreshan Unity from

the north and was generating electricity to the
buildings as early as 1912.64

THE SMALL MACHINE SHOP
The bowed roof has a unique, curved shape and is

particularly evident from the inside of the building.

The workshop manufactured small and specialized

tools and kitchen items and provided timepiece and
shoe repair.63

THE GENERATOR BUILDINGA rather large THE FAIRBANKS-MORSE ENGINE
structure, built of wood frame construction. The Eventually, a more powerful Fairbanks-Morse diesel
structure was made of corrugated metal sides and engine replaced the original steam engine. The
roof. It provided electric power to the Koreshans. Unity purchased the 80 HP Diesel Engine in June
1925 for $1932. 00. It was in service until August
While portions of the equipment remain, the 1946 when Florida Power & Light (FPL) began
majority was sold by the settlement in the 1930s and servicing the area. For more information on this
40s when money was needed to maintain the building Google: The Generator Building at
Settlement. Koreshan State Historic Site. Engine
Demonstration - Meet at the Generator Building in
the Historic Koreshan Settlement for demonstrations
of the Fairbanks Morse Engine. 11:30 a.m.
Wednesday during tourist season, from January to

March, and is free with park admission. 65

63 64 http://koreshan.mwweb.org/teed_kshs.htm
65 http://www.news-
http://www.heathermccurdy.com/archives/2006/01/koreshan_s press.com/story/entertainment/2016/03/18/funcast-things-do-
tate.html march-18-27/81806652/

38

THE WOOD STOVE IN THE STORAGE SHED
The stove was initially used at a slave camp at the
Kingsley Plantation located near Jacksonville,
Florida. From there it was moved to Tallahassee,
Florida and stored in a museum. Later Hedwig
Michel found out about it and had it moved to
Koreshan State Park and restored and placed in the
bakery. Then from the bakery, it was placed in the
storage shed. It is still in use today. It is now
utilized by the Park to prepare some of the food
that was eaten by the Members. Date of construction
is nknown but assumed to be around 1910.

The Westinghouse electric generator was purchased
for $1632 in 1908.

Photos of the Kingsley Plantation Slave Camp

THE STORAGE SHED:
The storage shed constructed of log (peeled cypress
and pine). Most likely the shed was used to store
wood for the steam boiler used to power equipment
by the Koreshans.

THE ANNA LEWIS HOME (Not open to visitors)
This house, called “El Retiro,” was built around
1930 and was where Anna Lewis and her husband
Frank lived until their death.

39

Anna, along with her family lived near Moravia NY.
After the passing of her and her husband, the
property reverted to the Koreshan Unity. Frank
Lewis was an accountant, and Anna was the
postmistress for the City of Everglades.
Anna died in 1972
Should you have any questions or commits please
e-mail me, Roger Parlin at ([email protected])
or call me: 239-470-0265).

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