American Folk Figure. Born in Consecon, Prince Edward County, Onterio, Canada, she was the youngest of six children, being born late after her parents had weathered a long separation. She was sporadically educated, the family removing to Rochester, New York by 1841 before renting a house in nearby Hydesville. It was in Hydesville that she and her sister, Margaretta, reported in 1848, strange knocking sounds in their house. The girls claimed to be in communication with 'spirits' who would rap out answers to questions posed. The rapping and the girls became a local sensation, they were removed to their brother's house in Rochester to spare them the tumult, but the rapping accompanied them. The sisters became famous as mediums and their pre-Civil War public séances in New York attracted luminaries of the day, and endeared them to the growing spiritualist movement. She continued a solo career, even after her sister's renunciation of spiritualism. After the death of her parents in 1865, she began a rapid fall into alcoholism. In 1871 she traveled to England, where she met and married Henry Jencken in December 1872 at Marylebone Church, London. They would have two sons, the second of whom was born in the United States after their return in 1875. Jencken suffered a severe stroke and succumbed three days later in November 1881. Around 1888 she became embroiled in a quarrel with her sister, Leah, and other leading spiritualists. Reunited with her sister, Margaretta, she was present when Margaretta appeared in New York City, New York and demonstrated how she could produce raps audible throughout the theater at will, debunking her own spiritualist career. The exposition was termed the death blow to the spiritualist movement by many, others refused to believe the confession. She died some three years later from kidney disease. Through the kindness of friends, she and her sister were interred together at Cypress Hills in Brooklyn, New York City.