Historical Notes: Chapter Four

First Presbyterian Church of Cincinnati

The First Presbyterian Church on Fourth Street in Cincinnati represented the pinnacle of respectability in 1890s society. This grand edifice, completed in the Gothic Revival style, could accommodate nearly 1,000 worshippers and served Cincinnati's most prominent families.

The church's interior featured soaring arches, elaborate woodwork, and exceptional acoustics that made it a favored venue for lectures and musical performances, not just religious services.

Victorian Propriety and "Mesmerism"

The 1890s represented the height of Victorian sexual repression. Popular marriage manuals of the era advocated extreme modesty and restraint. The notion that a traveling performer could use "mesmerism" to overcome these deeply ingrained social barriers would have been both thrilling and scandalous to audiences.

Franz Mesmer's theories of "animal magnetism" had evolved by the 1890s into stage hypnotism, creating controversy about its potential for inappropriate influence. Medical journals warned that mesmerism could be used for "immoral purposes," particularly regarding young women's virtue.

McQuary's claims of using mesmerism to entrance his audiences—particularly the young women who reportedly fainted at his performances—played directly into both the fears and fascinations of the era.