Antonette Matteson (sometimes spelled Antoinette) was born July 12th, 1847 in Baden, Germany. Her obituary in the Evening Star Newspaper of North Tonowanda states:Antoinette Wealthy was born in Baden, Germany, in 1847. Her parents came to the United States when Antoinette was five years old, and they located in Water Valley, where they lived for five years, removing to Buffalo in 1857. The daughter in 1867 married Judah H. R. Matteson, a musician, and lived in Dunkirk for two years. They then went to Buffalo to live.
Matteson was a member of the First Spiritualist Temple of East Aurora, as well as the New York State Association of Spiritualists (now known as the General Assembly of Spiritualists).
Matteson became quickly known for her gifts of Mediumship, specifically as a Trance Medium. She became known as a "Clairvoyant Doctor," in that she would go into a trance state and allow her guides to speak through her to prescribe herbal remedies and recipes to those who sought her advice.
Her obituary in the Buffalo Express states: For 40 years Mrs. Matteson was a clairvoyant doctor. Thousands and tens of thousands of people gladly bore witness to her healing and curing powers, which she exercised unselfishly and effectively until her last sickness.
A passage in the National Cyclopedia of American Biography by James Terry White further comments: Her control called itself a chief of the Mohican Indians, and its ability to discover diseased conditions of the system and to instruct in regard to normal and abnormal physiological states excited the astonishment of all who had an opportunity to note the phenomena. A large medical practice was built up as a result of these revelations and Mrs. Matteson employed the remedies particular to the Indian Tribe of which her controlling influence was chief, securing the various roots, herbs, and barks from the Seneca Indians of Western, New York.
The same text continues to comment: Several attempts were made to prosecute her for illegal practice, without avail. No greater eulogy upon her work can be pronounced than the statement of a leading jurist of Buffalo, who declared that it would be impossible to get a jury in Erie county to indict her, since nearly every family in the county had one or more members who had been successfully treated by her.
In 1894 Matteson published her only book known as The Occult Family Physician and Botanic Guide to Health. The work is still in print today, and can also be found online. The book starts off with a brief introduction to Matteson's spiritual unfoldment as a Medium, and touches upon the importance of Herbal Medicine.
The book then shifts to describe lists of various herbs and roots, and gives their medical and healing properties. In the last sections the work is divided into different sections organized by ailment which lists various herbal remedies she received from her guides that individuals could prepare themselves.
I picked out a few selections of her book to share. I'd like to comment though, that while the ones I chose are completely harmless, it's pretty important to be aware of what kinds of herbs you are taking and the dosage level, some of her remedies include herbs, roots, and minerals that could do some serious damage if taken incorrectly, so if you try anything from her book, do some research first.
Mint. Peppermint: It is a garden plant, much like wild mint. The whole plant is used fresh or dried. It is good for flatulency, allays, nausea, and vomiting, and will often cure colic almost instantaneously, and drank freely is good against gravel.
Chamomile: they are very useful in weak stomachs, and if taken freely will remove a slight cold.
Mrs. Mattesons Composition Powder: Pleurisy Root, powdered 2 ounces. Bayberry powder, 2 ounces. Cinnamon Powder, .5 ounce. Ginger Powder, 1.5 ounces. Cayenne Pepper, .5 ounce. Cloves, powdered, .5 ounce.
"This composition is intended for cold, chills, cramps, and in the less violent attacks of disease. It is a remedy of much value, and may be safely used in all complaints of male or female, as well as for children." This particular remedy goes on to explain how it should be taken after a foot soak in warm water, and prepared as a tea with one teaspoon of the mix, and one teaspoon of added sugar.
Matteson was also the President of the Women's Progressive Union of Buffalo. In an article published by the Buffalo Times some of the achievements of the society are mentioned:
The association, during the hard times of 1894, started a soup kitchen on North Division Street, where hundreds of people were fed daily, and distributed clothing among the poor, besides assisting and caring for the sick and exercising a general supervision over a large territory at that time when there was so much suffering through destitution in the lower city. For its noble work at that critical time, the Women's Progressive Union received the thanks, publicly expressed, of the Common Council and the Mayor of Buffalo. Mrs. J.H.R. Matteson is the president and leader of the Union.
After a lifetime dedicated to healing others and public service, Antonette Matteson passed away in her family home at the age of 66 after a long battle with mental and physical health issues on October 11th, 1913.
In my own practice, healing is virtually always linked with herbalism, to quote Antonette Matteson "for such is our confidence in the benevolence of the Creator, that within the vegetable kingdom may be found remedies for all the maladies of mankind."
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