"Perverted Spiritualistic Forces" - John Humphrey Noyes versus William Hepworth Dixon in the Victorian Press - A Communities In Conversation Program

Beginning in the 1830s, Oneida Community founder John Humphrey Noyes successfully used the press to spread word of his religious and social innovations, and OC serial publications shaped the community's public image well into the 1860s. However, when English journalist William Hepworth Dixon published a scathing, demeaning account of the OC, it marked a turning point for Noyes.

The result? A very public print war, conducted in newspapers and pamphlets, that troubled Noyes for years to come.

This illustrated lecture recounts the fascinating story of media manipulation, reputation management, and a transatlantic scandal which titillated the Victorian imagination on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

About the Speaker

Christian Goodwillie is director and curator of special collections at the Burke Library of Hamilton College in Clinton, New York. He also serves as Editor of the Richard W. Couper Press. Goodwillie received his MS in Historic Preservation from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2001. From 2001-2009 he was Curator of Collections at Hancock Shaker Village. He has also served as president of the Communal Studies Association. Goodwillie has authored, co-authored, or edited twelve books and numerous articles on the Shakers, Freemasonry, and other topics. His most recent book is Richard McNemar: Frontier Heretic and Shaker Apostle.

Secure your virtual seat today for this program or save over 20% by locking in the entire series today and be part of the conversation!

The Communities In Conversation Series
August 20, 2026 - Communal History IS American History, Thomas A. Guiler, Oneida Community Mansion House

October 27, 2026 - "Perverted Spiritualistic Forces": John Humphrey Noyes versus William Hepworth Dixon in the Victorian Press, Christian Goodwillie – Hamilton College

November 24, 2026 - Sex, Communalism, and Utopia: How a 70s Commune Took Oneida into the Future, Cheryl Coulthard – Vice President, Communal Studies Association

January 26, 2027 - New Light Family Values: Sex & Salvation in Revolutionary New England, Douglas L. Winiarski – University of Richmond

April 1, 2027 - Unexpected Colonial American Composers: The Sisters of the Ephrata Cloister, Christopher Herbert – William Paterson University

April 15, 2027 - Camphill and the Ever-Changing Face of Intentional Community, Dan McKanan – Harvard Divinity School

April 27, 2027 - From Oneida to Ithaca: Enduring Themes in Intentional Communities, Jen Myers – Thrive EcoVillage Education Center / Center for Transformative Action

-All registrants will receive a Zoom link within 48 hours of registration.

-All proceeds support the preservation of the Oneida Community Mansion House and its educational programs.