A BRIEF HISTORY OF DR. CYRUS TEED AND THE KORESHANS-2

2017

bbbbb77++33Parlin4

KORESHAN STATE HISTORIC SITE
3800 Corkscrew Rd
Estero, Florida 33928

A Brief History of Dr. Cyrus Teed
and the Koreshans

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
The following work contains information about the Park along with a
list of the most common questions asked by our many guests
regarding the Koreshan Unity Settlement.

By Roger M. Parlin, Ph.D.
Docent Koreshan State Historic Site

Dr. Roger M. Parlin ([email protected]) 239-470-0265

Koreshan State Historical Park manuscript update:
11/9/2017

2

KORESHAN STATE HISTORIC SITE

CLICK HERE FOR THE DIRECTORY

2

3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to say thanks to all the Rangers, volunteers and volunteer Docents that
helped make this State Park the best in Florida. Also, I would want to give a very
special thanks to Ron Westcott, a fellow Docent, for assistance and help in putting
this work together.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
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 paper was to help me, as a new Docent, to understand the lives and
times of the Koreshans Unity and their rich history.

Roger M. Parlin, Ph.D.
Docent Volunteer
KORESHAN STATE HISTORIC SITE
[email protected]
239-470-0265
Ranger Station
239-992-0311

3

4

Dr. Parlin graduated from Trevecca University with a B.A. in Religion and Pacific
University with a Ph.D. in Religious Studies with an emphasis in Christian
Counseling.
Please visit our site on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/rogerm.parlin.7?ref=br_rs

4

5

DIRECTORY OF QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
(Click on Page Number to go to question)

1.Guided Tours (Page 14)
2.Who Were The Koreshans? (Page 15)
3.How Did Florida Obtain This Land As A Park? (Page 15)
4.What Are The Attractions Here At The Park? (Page 16)
5.The Ghost Walk (Page 25)
6.Who Was Cyrus Teed? (Page 26)
7.What Was Dr. Teed’s Educational Background? (Page 27)
8.Was Cyrus Teed Married? (Page 28)
9.Did Cyrus And Fidelia Have Any Children? (Page 29)

5

6

10. Cyrus Teed’s Brief Military Career (Page 30)
11. The Art Hall (Page 32)
12. What Was The Time Dr. Teed Started His Religious Following? (Page 34)
13. Why Does The Pulpit Appear to Have The Star of David On It? (Page 35)
14. What Was Dr. Teed’s Religious Background? (Page 41)
15. When Did The Koreshan Unity Start? (Page 42)
16. Dr. Teed’s Big Break (1869 To 1886) (Page 43)

17. Where Did The Paintings Come From In The Art Hall? (Page 46)
18. The Steinway Piano (Page 47)
19. Did The Koreshans Have Access To Any Educational Facility?

The Pioneer University (Page 49)

6

7

20. Why Did Dr. Teed Believe That The Earth Was Hollow? (Page 50)
21. Cellular Cosmogony (Page 51)
22. Why Was the Survey Flawed? (Page 54)
23. Galileo (Page 57)
24. How Did the Koreshans Support Themselves at The Unity? (Page 63)

25. Why Did The Koreshans Believe Teed’s Teachings? (Page 65)

26. Was The Unity A Cult or Sect? (Page 68)
27. Why Were So Many (Around 70 To 80%) Of The Koreshan

Followers Women? (Page 71)

28. Gendercide (Page 72)

7

8

29. Divorce In The 19th Century (Page 73)
30. The Civil War: Many Women Were Widowed (Page 74)
31. Victorian Age (1837 To 1901) Victorian Morality (Page 75)
32. Women’s Rights In The Victorian Age (Page 76)

33. What Was Life Like For The Members Of The Unity

And Especially For Women? (Page 80)

34. How Did The Koreshans Expect To Survive Into The

Future If They Were Celibate? (Page 82)

35. Is There Any Relationship Between The Koreshans

Here In Estero And David Koresh Of The Branch
Davidian Church Of Waco, Texas? (Page 87)

8

9

36. Were some of the Members, not Celibate? (Page 84)
37. Did the Koreshins feel that sex was immoral? (Page 85)
38. What Was The Koreshan New Jerusalem? (Page 88)
39. How Many Buildings Are There At The Park? (Page 89)
40. Early Estero (Page 92)
41. The Old and New Stores (Page 93)
42. The Koreshan Unity Trailer Park (Page 102)
43. The Politics Of The Koreshans (Page 104)
44. Looking For A Place To Build The Koreshan

“New Jerusalem” (Page 106)

9

10

45. Gustave Damkohler The Gustave Damkohler Cottage (Page 107)

46. The Bamboo Landing (Page 114)

47. The Founders Home (Page 116)

48. Victoria Gratia Koresh, a.k.a. Annie Glassen Ordway (Page 120)

49. The Passing Of Cyrus Teed (Page 123)

50. Teed’s Beach House (Page 125)

51. The Planetary Court - Koreshan Settlement: 1904 (Page 127)

52. Was Their Equality Of The Sexes? (Page 133)

53. George Hunt (Page 135)

54. Who Is Buried In The Grave By The Bakery? (Page 136)

55. Where Are The Other Koreshans Buried? (Page 136)

56. The Bakery (Page 137)

10

11

57. The Dining Hall and Women’s Dorm (Page 139)
58. Home Of Vesta Newcomb (Page 141)
59. The Tennis Court (Page 143)
60. The Member’s Cottage (1903 / 1904) (Page 144)
61. Laundry House (No Longer Here) (Page 145)
62. The Large Machine Shop (Page 147)
63. The Small Machine Shop (Page 148)
64. The Electric Generator Building (Page 149)
65. The Storage Shed (Page 151)
66. The Wood Stove In The Storage Shed (Page 152)
67. The Anna Lewis Home (Not Open to Visitors). (Page 153)
68. Additional Information (Page 154)

69. Peter Hicks was a former Ranger here at the Koreshan State Historic Site (Page 155)

11

12

The following is a list of the most common questions asks by the
thousands of guest that visit our park each year.
I have attempted to compile a list of questions most frequently asked
by the guests that visit the Park. Please feel free to contact the Park
or me for any questions you may have regarding the history of the
Koreshan Unity, or common questions you may get from the guest.
([email protected]).

CREDITS: This work is far from original, and it is not intended for resale but as a
gathering of information and labor of many sources for educational purposes only. I have
extensively used information gathered from the Park staff and the many hundreds of
articles found on the internet.

Whenever possible, I have placed a link that will take you to the source of my
information giving credit to those, like me, that have worked to bring you the rich history
of the Koreshans.

12

13

GUIDED TOURS
Koreshan State Historic Site offers Ranger/Docent Guided Tours every Saturday and
Sunday at 10:00 a.m. April through December and daily at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
January through March. Contact the Ranger Station at (239) 992-0311 for additional
information.

Request for these and other tours for clubs, home school associations, and other groups
may be made by calling us. Please call as soon as possible to ensure we will be able to
fulfill your requested dates.

Back to the Index

Who were the Koreshan’s?
The Koreshan Unity was a Communal Utopia formed by Dr. Cyrus Teed, MD who took
the name "Koresh," the original Hebrew of his surname Cyrus, which in Hebrew means
Shepard. The religious system was called Koreshanity.

13

14

The Koreshan Unity started in the 1870s in New York1, 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. They left in 1910 and moved to nearby Fort Myers. This group lasted
until 1931. The fact the Unity was celibate did not help, although celibacy was not the real
problem since there was a married status within the Unity. Celibates were the highest order.
With some members leaving and without new members joining, the group slowly dwindled.2

Finally in 1961 Hedwig Michel, (more on her later) only surviving member and president of
the Koreshans religious community deeded the property to the State of Florida. The Unity
then became The Koreshan State Park. Later in 1967 the Park was given the status as a
Historical Site and became The Koreshan State Historic Site.

1 https://www.floridamemory.com/photographiccollection/collections/?id=51 (see Historical Note)

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

14

15

Back to the Index

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 Chinees bamboo that initially
was obtained from the Ford and Edison Winter Estates,
and many flowering trees and plants of a wide variety.
The Park offers Botanical tours every Tuesday at 1:00 PM during the tourist season. Here
are some samples of what's included in the tour is the following:3

3 http://www.edisonfordwinterestates.org/groups/botanical-tour/

15

16

The Monkey Puzzle Tree: (Damaged in the Hurricane of 2017 is no longer here.)
The Koreshans imported this species of tree as a sapling from across the world, which is

Indigenous to Queensland, Australia, and drops
seed pods as large as a football. However,
fortunately, two saplings Monkey Puzzle trees
remain near this site.

16

17

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.4

Back to the Index

4 http://www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_sausage_tree.html

17

The Camel Foot Tree 18

The Camel Foot Tree gets its name for its leaf
that looks like a camel’s foot. This tree is native
to India. In the United States of America, the tree
grows in Hawaii, coastal California,
southern Texas, and Southwest Florida.

5

This particular Tree located at Koreshan State Park is
just outside the Art Hall.

5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phanera_purpurea

18

19

Bombax Trees or Red Silk Cotton Tree

They are native to western Africa, the Indian
subcontinent, Southeast Asia, as well as subtropical
regions of East Asia and northern Australia. The
Common name for the Bombax is Red Silk Cotton Tree.6

Milk & Wine Lily7
The first Crinums to bloom every summer. If the early
summer is cool, the flowering bloom will last for a
couple of weeks each, giving almost a month of large
flowers, one after another.

6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombax
7 http://www.southernbulbs.com/crinum-milk-wine-lily-jumbo-size/

19

20

WILDLIFE
Among the wildlife of the park are, rabbits, bobcats, gray foxes, coyotes, manatees, North

American river otters and American
alligators, armadillos, gopher
tortoises, and a variety of other
reptiles, as well as such birds as
swallow-tailed kites, bald eagles,
northern bobwhites, and red-
shouldered hawks. 8

PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOUR PARK and Please be aware that state law protects
ALL plant and animals.

We ask your cooperation in doing nothing that would damage park property or would
harm or cause any animal stress.

Back to the Index

8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koreshan_State_Historic_Site

20

21

Please observe our wildlife, but do not attempt to handle or get too close - please keep
your distance. Remember these are wild animals. Damage, vandalism or destruction of
any property or any animal could result in a fine of up to $1000 and 90 days in jail.
So, please take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints.

HIKING TRAILS & CANOEING

In addition to the historic buildings of the
settlement, the state park includes canoeing on
the Estero River which flows directly next to the
Koreshan Settlement as well as hiking trails and
the presence of many protected species of
animals throughout the park.9

9 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koreshanity

21

22

FARMERS MARKET & NATIVE PLANTS SAILS

The Park has a Farmers Market every Sunday from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The Market is open
year round. However, please be aware that many of the fresh fruits and vegetables will be
outif season by mid to late September. 10

Back to the Index

10 https://www.google.com/search?ei=s377Wb-EOcOzkwXz44zwAw&q=koreshan+park+farmere+market&oq=koreshan+park+farmere+market&gs_l=psy-
ab.3..0i13k1.7019.15728.0.16130.29.26.0.0.0.0.559.4373.0j1j6j6j0j1.15.0....0...1.1.64.psy-
ab..14.15.4614.6..0j35i39k1j0i131k1j0i67k1j0i131i46k1j46i131k1j0i20i263k1j0i22i30k1.253.FaieJuDuNvk

22

23

Every Wednesday and Saturday, in season (January through March) at 11:30 AM in
the Historic Industrial area you can enjoy a demonstration of early 1900’s engines.

23

THE GHOST WALK 24

For the past 26 years, the
Koreshan State Historic Site
has offered guests a view of
the life and times of Cyrus
Teed and the Koreshans with
a theatrical production call
the Ghost Walk.

The one-hour program walks the shell paths of the 110-acre grounds of the park, and
costumed volunteers act out parts of the times and lives of the Koreshans. The event is
held the last two Fridays and Saturdays of January and the first two Fridays and
Saturdays of February. Please contact the Koreshan Ranger Station for more details or to
purchase tickets (239) 992-0311. For a more comprehensive view of the events at the
Park click here.

Back to the Index

24

25

Who was Cyrus Teed?
Cyrus Teed – Founder of the Koreshans (1839–1908)

Cyrus R. Teed was a visionary pioneer that come to South
Florida, bringing his followers here to Estero Florida in
1894. Cyrus Teed was the Founder of the Koreshans and
believed himself to be a prophet (a special messenger of
God). Cyrus was the second son of eight children. He was
born in New York State on Oct 18, 1839, in Trout Creek,
in Delaware County near Teedsville, 15 miles north of
Walton NY. Dr. Cyrus (Koresh) Teed died on Dec 22,
1908, at the age of 69.

Back to the Index

25

26

What was Dr. Teed’s Educational Background?11

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 for medical school. Teed would
finish medical school in 186812 at age 29. Although we should take
into consideration that Teed’s schooling was interrupted by a short
tour of duty in the Army of only14 months of his 36-month
enlistment due to sunstroke injury (more on that later).

Teed’s parents were of the Baptist faith so do to his natural oratoricalability; his friends
urged him to study for the ministry. However, Cyrus decided to become a physician and
in 1859 commenced the study of medicine with his uncle, Dr. Samuel F. Teed, in Utica,
N.Y.13 Samuel F. Teed was a 25-year-old allopathic14 physician (MD)

By Peter Hicks

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

13 http://koreshan.mwweb.org/blog/?p=1736#identifier_0_1736

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

26

27

I could find no record of when he started back to medical school. Surprisingly, most
Doctors at that time learned their trade by working as an apprentice with other
physicians, or a physician, without the benefit of medical school at all.

Was Cyrus Teed married?
Marriage and Family: In 1859 at age 20, Cyrus
married his second cousin, Fidelia (Delia) M. Rowe.
Cyrus was 20 years old, and Fidelia was 19. She was
married to Dr. Teed for 27 years and died at the age of
47 of tuberculosis.

Back to the Index

27

28

Did Cyrus and Fidelia have any children?
Yes - In 1860, Teed now 21 had a son Douglas. Then, two years later, in 1862 when
Cyrus Teed was 23 he moved, his small family to Brooklyn, New York. While there in
New York he enrolled in Medical School but dropped out and joined the New York
Infantry Volunteers at age 23. I could find no record of how long he was in medical
school before dropping out to join the Army. However, Teed was 23 when he moved to
New York and was 23 when he dropped out of medical school to join the Army, so it
must have been less than a year. Some sources indicate that he worked as an assistant
physician and surgeon this may have been an embellishment on the truth to make Cyrus
Teed look somewhat bigger than life.

DOUGLAS TEED (1860-1929 passed at age 69)
When Douglas was nine (1869), his father left the family to
develop a religious sect called 'Koreshanity' after experiencing
what he claimed was a divine vision. Douglas and his mother
never converted to Koreshanity and allegedly due to ill health,
Fidelia and Douglas, her son, moved in with her sister in
Binghamton, New York, even though her husband Cyrus was a
Medical Doctor. It appears that his focus was on other matters
than his marriage. They remained there until Fidelia’s death of
tuberculosis in 1885, Douglas her son now 25 and Cyrus now 46

28

29

or 47. There is no record of Cyrus and Fidelia ever getting a divorce, but of the 26 years
of marriage, it appears that they spent less than eight years together.

Douglas became an artist and traveled the world. Several of his paintings are on display
here at the Art Hall. Learn More: Douglas’s marriage i

Cyrus Teed brief tour of duty in the Union Army
Cyrus Teed enlisted in Company F, 127th New York
Infantry of the New York volunteers on August 9, 1862, at
the age of twenty-two. On April 12, 1863, he was assigned
to Brigade Headquarters.” Corporal Teed became a special
aid to an acting General Woodford. It is not clear what is
duty assignment was. However, while on the march near
Warrenton Junction, Virginia on August 1, 1863, he suffered
sunstroke which led to paralysis of his left arm and leg.
Army records indicate he was assigned to a hospital in
Alexandria Virgina on, August 8th, 1863 where he spent
fifty-days until his release from the hospital.

29

30

From the time of injury, August 1st to time of discharge from the hospital on September
30th would be about 61 days.15

He received an Honorable (Medical) Discharge from the Army on October 16th, 1863.

After his medical discharge from the service, he returned to New York City to complete
his medical studies in Eclectic Medicine graduating in February 1868.”

As a patient at the Army hospital, Corporal Cyrus Teed noticed that wounded soldiers

with a positive outlook on life or having a strong religious faith recovered faster.

At the close of the war, he resumed his study of medicine. The length of time from

discharge from the Army and when he continued his studies in medicine is also unclear.
However, one source16 indicates that he graduated in 1868 at age 29. From the time of

Army discharge to date of graduation would have been five years.

[Credit is due C. J. Rahn, whose compilation of biographical data was drawn upon.] However, Rahn was quite elderly at this time. ]
There is no evidence that Jesse Teed was ever a country doctor. At one time he did run his own company, the “Teed Water Works” [

1. Teed was discharged on 16 October 1863. He served about 14 months. From some, the war did not end until May 1865. [ ]17

2. Teed resumed the study of medicine at New York Eclectic Medical College. He graduated in 1868 and commenced practice in Utica, N.Y.
Source18

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

16 ((3)) he resumed the study of medicine at New York Eclectic Medical College. He graduated in 1868 and commenced practice in Utica, N.Y. - See

more at: http://koreshan.mwweb.org/blog/?p=1736#footnote_2_1736

30

31

THE ART HALL (1905)
What was The Art Hall used for by the Koreshans?

The Art Hall was one
of the most important
buildings to the

Koreshan Unity
Settlement.
The Hall was used by
the Koreshan’s for
entertainment,
education, as well as
the center of all

religious activity. (The Koreshan’s did not have a free-standing church). The walls were
covered with paintings hung on nails. The State, when it took over the Park in 1961 took
the wall boards off and turned them around exposing the back side of the board to the

18 : http://koreshan.mwweb.org/blog/?p=1736#footnote_2_1736

31

32

public guest that visited the park. Now paintings are hung from wires attached to celiling
trim.

What is the Art Hall used for today?

A Lecture Hall, Concert Hall, and Museum and contains early historical documents of
the Koreshan Unity as well as musical instruments used by the Koreshans.

Back to the Index

32

33

What was the time Dr. Teed started his religious following?

ILLUMINATION: In the autumn of 1869 at age 30,
Cyrus Teed had what he later referred to as his
Illumination (Isaiah 11:10, Isaiah 44:28).
While working in his laboratory, he claimed to
have changed lead into gold (alchemy). He called
this knowledge the "Philosopher's Stone."
Also, allegedly, while experimenting with
electricity he was shocked into unconsciousness.
Then, later that same evening, he had a vision in
which he saw God (a spirit) in the form of a
beautiful woman and learned the secrets of the
universe and his place in it. The Koreshan God
had a male-female aspect. Later Cyrus Teed took
on the name “Koresh.” The Word Cyrus in ancient Hebrew is pronounced Koresh
meaning Shepherd.

Back to the Index

33

34

Why does the pulpit appear to have the Star of David on it?
In the Art Hall, please notice the star on the front
of the pulpit resembling the Jewish Star of David.
Although it is not clear where the pulpit came from
it appears to have the Star of David on it, but it
does not. The symbol is that of THE SEAL OF
SOLOMON. It could be that the Koreshans
“borrowed” the symbol, with its interwoven
triangles as a representation of the male-female
aspects of God. In tradition, the overlapping triangles
stood for male and female. The triangle with its point
upward represented male and the triangle pointing
down represented female. Later Koreshan prayers
would be to the Mother-Father God.

34

35

MORE ON THE SEAL:
The Pope and the Seal of Solomon

AT TOP LEFT the Popes Papal hat
is known as a mitre.19 A close-up
picture of Pope Benedict XVI’s (16th)
Papal hat called a mitre. The six-
pointed hexagram located in front of
the headpiece appears to be a Seal of
Solomon, rather than the Star of
David.

AT TOP RIGHT: The yellow Star
of David on the left side has the
German word Jude (Jew in English)
written in the center. 20

19The mitre (British English) (/ˈmaɪtər/; Greek: μίτρα, "headband" or "turban") or miter (American English; see spelling differences), is a type of headgear now known as the

traditional, ceremonial head-dress of bishops and certain abbots in traditional Christianity.
20 https://stjudasmaccabaeus.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/understanding-the-differences-between-the-star-of-david-and-the-seal-of-solomon/

35

36

The blue Star of David (Magen ((SIC))21 David in Hebrew) on
the right side is found upon the official, national flag of Israel.

AT BOTTOM LEFT: These two
black hexagrams in an all-white
background are fundamental
representations of a Star of David, seen
on the left side, and a Seal of Solomon,
seen on the right.

AT BOTTOM RIGHT: A six-pointed
hexagram carved upon one of the walls
of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City,
the official capital of the Roman
Catholic Church.22

21 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.
22 https://stjudasmaccabaeus.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/understanding-the-differences-between-the-star-of-david-and-the-seal-of-solomon/

36

37

THE SEAL OF SOLOMON vs. THE STAR OF DAVID
A rather interesting take on the very real differences between the Star of David and the
Seal of Solomon reads as follows: “The Seal of Solomon resembles the Jewish Star of
David, but the Star of David does not have interlocking triangles.” It is unlikely the
Pope would have on his Mitre (hat) the Jewish symbol of the Star of David. The Seal
of Solomon is over 3000 years old. During the 19th century (the 1800’s) the symbol
(The Star of David) began to proliferate amongst Jewish communities of Eastern Europe,
ultimately being used amongst the Jewish communities in the Pale of Settlement.

A significant motivating factor was the desire to
imitate the influence of the Christian cross. In
Medieval Jewish, Islamic and
Christian legends, the Seal of
Solomon was a magical signet
ring said to have the symbol
now called the Star of David
(hexagram), often within a
circle, usually with the two
triangles interlaced rather than
intersecting.

37

38

When one looks closely enough at the picture above, the differences between the
Star of David (on the Left) and the Seal of Solomon (on the Right) should become
readily apparent. By tradition, the Star of David has only 2-Dimensional overlapping
or intersecting triangles, while the Seal of Solomon always has 3-Dimensional
interwoven or interlaced triangles.
Because of this, the Seal of Solomon may also sometimes be confused with the Star
of David, although this remains technically incorrect, as confirmed by a Jewish Rabbi
visiting the park. 23
The Seal of Solomon represents the Divine Union being, composed of a female,
triangle, and a male, triangle. Traditional elemental triangles of the earth; air; water

23 https://stjudasmaccabaeus.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/understanding-the-differences-between-the-star-of-david-and-the-seal-of-solomon/

38

39

and fire are derived from the seal. This Seal of Solomon was placed in the Estero
Village Seal in the upper left corner. Please see photo below. Also, visit page (Page
103) for more on the Estero Village history. It could be argued that the Seal may have
represented the Male / Female aspect of God to Cyrus Teed and he “borrowed” it for
his own reasons. (For more information please Google “The Seal of Solomon”.
Credit: 24

Back to the Index

24 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_of_Solomon

39

40

What was Dr. Teed’s Religious Background?

Teed was raised a Baptist. However, in
1878 at age 40, Dr. Teed was admitted to
membership in the North Family of
Shakers in Lebanon, New York. The

Shakers by doctrine, unlike the Baptist, are
Pentecostal.25 The Shakers were a religious

organization with many beliefs similar to
that of Teed’s, including the concept of

community living or a utopian

community. A few years later Teed invited

them to become a part of the Koreshan

Unity, but they declined to join. The
leadership could not quite believe in Teed’s theory of Cosmology (that is, living inside
the earth) - more on that later. The Shakers were founded in the 18th century in England.

They were known as the Shakers because of their ecstatic behavior during worship

services.

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

40

41

Dr. (Koresh) Teed also had contact with several other Utopian Belief systems other than
the Shakers such as the Harmonists.26 Back to the Index

Credits:26 On February 15, 1805, the group of approximately 400 followers formally organized the Harmony Society, placing all their goods in
common. Under its founder and spiritual leader, Johann Georg Rapp (1757–1847); Frederick (Reichert) Rapp (1775–1834), his adopted son who
managed its business affairs; and their associates, the Society existed for one hundred years; roughly from 1805 until 1905. Members were known as
Harmonists.

When did the Unity start?
Then, one year later or so after Dr.Teed’s Illumination, in the 1870s he, Dr.Teeds
founded a commune in New York then moved it to Chicago in 1886. At this time Dr.
Teed started going by the name Koresh. The Unity became the “Koreshan Unity”
in the early 1890’s. The Unity was a commune whose rule of conduct was based on
Dr. Cyrus (Koresh) Teed teachings.

However, it was, at this time, that Dr. (Koresh) Teed’s medical practice started to find
itself in trouble. Dr. Teed was a zealot and would often talk to his patients’ about his
religious beliefs.

His patients, for the most part, thought that he was a little unorthodox, if not downright
crazy, with his religious theories and stopped coming to him. He became known as the
Crazy Doctor.”

41

42

Dr. Teed’s big break (1870 to 1886)
Dr. Teed’s dreams of a Utopian Society over the following 16 years met with no little
resistance. Although his medical practice for a time was doing quite well many of this
patience resisted his unorthodox religious theories and stop coming to him for medical
services. Also, allegedly his patients were slow to pay him.

Then in September 1886 Dr. Teed, now 47, was invited to address a convention of the
National Association of Mental Science in Chicago, Ill. At this convention he made
such a deep impression by his eloquence and magnetic personality that he was
subsequently elected to the presidency of the Association. This favorable reception in
Chicago induced Dr.Teed to settle there, and in October 1886 he incorporated “The
College of life” under the Laws of the State of Illinois.26

Back to the Index

42

43

These Utopian groups were springing up all over and especially in the New York area.
New Yorks Ellis Island was a port for many
immigrants seeking religious and political freedom
from the monarchies and religious suppression of
Europe – the very rich and the very poor. Even the
Communist Party of Russia in 191727 was an
attempt to rid itself of the tyranny of the monarchy
of the Russian Czar Nicolas II by overthrowing the
Czar and forming a non-religious Utopian
Commune. In theory, the Communist Party was a
Unity, a commune where all property was owned

in common by all members, the State. Sadly, as it turned out, the Premier of Russia
declared himself as the “State”. Thus, placing the Russian back in the same place they
were before the revolution.

Back to the Index

27 https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Communist+Party+of+Russia+in+1917

43

44

Where did the paintings come from in the Art Hall?
The Art Hall housed and displayed
several paintings by Teed’s son
Douglas A. Teed. The Art was sold
to Cyrus Teed (Koreshans) by his
son Douglas in 1905.
Please see more art by D.A. Teed

Also, there are several paintings by Paul Sergeant.
At the time Koreshan paintings covered the walls of the
Hall. (More paintings by Sergeant)
Back to the Index

44

THE STEINWAY PIANO 45

When the Koreshins moved from Chicago
to the Estero area in the mid-1890’s they
brought with them 15 box cars of goods
and personal property
including this Steinway Piano.

Steinway & Sons

This Steinway piano donated by an E. Bonnell, a teacher from Morristown, NJ, when
they joined the unity. This piano has only 85 keys rather than the standard 88 keys. 88
keys became standard in 1890. Before that time there was no standard number of keys for
pianos. The number of keys would vary from somewhere in the 60s to somewhere in the
80s. The piano you see here was made in 1885 and is 132 years old (in 2017) Serial

45

46

number between 50,000 & 55,000. It was not until 1857 that a piano was created with
lavishly carved case and legs, like the one here at the Park.
Learn More about the Steinway

Steinway & Sons were founded on March 5, 1853, by
German immigrant Henry E. Steinway in a Manhattan loft
on Varick Street.
Henry was a master cabinet maker who built his first
piano, an upright, in 1836 at the age of 39 in the kitchen
of his German home. 28

Henry E. Steinway (1797–1871- age 74 at death)

28 http://myperfectpiano.com/louis-corner/

46

UPRIGHT PIANO 47

Up until this time, the Steinway was an upright
model, like the one on the left. A piano, with legs -
Serial #1225, is believed to be the first-ever Steinway
Art Case piano (1857).

Henry Steinway lived 74 years.
(1797–1871).
Saturday, March 5, 2017, marks the 163rd
anniversary of Steinway & Sons.29

Back to the Index

29 The 85th anniversary would have been in 1921 from the date of the first piano and in 1938 from the date of incorporation. From Steinway birth in 1797 plus 85 years would be
1882. (This piano did not celebrate the 85th anniversary of birth, first piano made or the first piano made after incorporation.

47

48

Did the Koreshans have access to any educational facility?
Yes - The Pioneer University of Koreshan Universology.
The Koreshans established a University in 1904 (Teed then age 65) The Pioneer
University of Koreshan Universology. The University, at that time, seemed to
emphasize the trades rather than the arts although the arts, music, painting, and
the like, were taught. The trades would have made the University more akin to a
Trade School than a Liberal Arts College of modern times.
Included in its curriculum was what was considered to be Useful Trades such as
Construction; Patternmaking; Electrical; Mechanical; Stone construction, as well as
Music and Art.
Who built the University?
It was the Professors and students that built the University.
Back to the Index

48

49

Why did Dr. Teed believe that the Earth was hollow and we
lived inside it?

THE KORESHAN WORLD:
DR. TEED’S VISION OF THE WORLD
Koreshanity is a set of religious/scientific beliefs put forth by Cyrus Teed
(also known as Koresh).

49

50

Some Definitions

 Cosmology is the study of the universe at its largest scales, including theories of its
origins, its dynamics and evolution, and its future.

 Cosmogony is the (scientific) study of the origin of the cosmos (or of reality itself).

Cellular Cosmogony30, which is Teed’s unique form

of Hollow Earth Theory which puts forth the idea that

the Earth and the universe are contained within a
hollow sphere or “Cell.”

30 Note: Cosmogony is the science of dealing with how the universe was created. While Cosmology is the science of dealing with what the universe
is doing now.

50