Cartheuser, William Herman

• Von Cartheuser, William Herman

William Herman Cartheuser was an American spiritualist. Born on January 19, 1890 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Herman Martin Cartheuser (November 12, 1862-May 4, 1926) and Ida Nemethy (1856-1933), he was raised alongside his siblings:

• Elvira M. Cartheuser: Born in Budapest, Hungary on June 1, 1887. Elvira married Carl Valta on March 17, 1906. She died in 1970.

• Louise “Lulu” Ida Cartheuser: Born in Chicago, Illinois on December 12, 1892. Lulu married George MacQuiade in 1917. She died in 1962.

• Arthur George Cartheuser: Born in Leipzig, Germany on April 15, 1895. Arthur married Hilda Vogel in 1916. He died on May 30, 1937.

William as well as his parents and siblings occasionally spelled their family surname as ‘Von Cartheuser.’

William’s father, Herman, was originally from Austria and he worked as a photo engraver. William’s mother, Ida, was originally from Hungary. Around 1887, William’s parents emigrated to the United States of America (USA) although they likely traveled back to Europe periodically in the following years.

William married Ruth G. Van Cise (December 9, 1901-September 7, 1970) on September 11, 1921 in Monroe, New York when he was 31 years old. William and Ruth had two children; Jacqueline Ruth Cartheuser (May 30, 1924-July 15, 1998) and William Roland Cartheuser (April 12, 1926-August 15, 1957). William and Ruth eventually divorced (year unknown).

William was a Spiritualist medium. He lived in Orange, New Jersey but traveled extensively across North America to hold seances and sittings. He is reported to have worked as a direct voice medium and also as a trumpet medium.

In September 1927, William met Jenny Pincock and was later invited to become the medium for her home circle in St. Catharines, Ontario. In 1930, Jenny and her sister Minnie as well as her brother-in-law Reverend Fred J.T. Maines formed a spiritualist church called the Church of Divine Revelation and a healing circle called the Radiant Healing Centre in St. Catharines, Ontario. During the early 1930s, William visited the congregation to hold religious services and sittings. William also provided lectures that were communicated to him through a spirit guide called LIGHT for the publication of 'Progression,' a small quarterly magazine published by Jenny Pincock starting in 1927. In 1935, Jenny Pincock ceased her connection with William and with the Church of Divine Revelation.

On a waiver certificate issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the U.S. Treasury Department, William claimed to be a minister ordained on September 6, 1930.

For a period of time in the 1930s, William resided in Lily Dale, New York.

On October 1, 1961, William married Berdiena “Birdie” Wolcott [nee Boomgaard] (April 20, 1896-September 11, 1986) and together they moved to Santa Barbara, California. Berdiena was previously married to Edgar Marle Wolcott (September 5, 1880-September 13, 1953). Berdiena and Edgar had attended sittings held by William in California until Edgar’s death.

William died on February 26, 1966 at the age of 76. He is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills), Los Angeles, California.

Written by NM in 2019.

McMullin, Stanley Edward. Anatomy of a Seance : a History of Spirit Communication in Central Canada. McGill-Queen's University Press, 2004.

McMullin, Stanley Edward, and Nandor Fodor. Encyclopædia of Psychic Science. University Books, 1969.

Melton, J. Gordon (editor). Encyclopedia of Occultism & Parapsychology. 5th ed., Gale Research Co., 2001.

Survival Research Institute of Canada