Newton, J. R. (1810-1883)

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Newton, J. R. (1810-1883)

American healing medium. He began his healing career in 1855 and is said to have cured thousands of sufferers from a variety of ailments. He claimed to be aided by Christ and other spirits. He usually healed in large halls or other areas with space to move about in and used to handle patients, often giving a sufferer a push and telling him he was cured, which he usually was.

Newton gave most of his healing free. Many of his cures were reliably recorded both in the United States and in England, which he visited the first time in 1870. The publication The Spiritualist (June 15, 1870) listed 105 cases of persons cured or benefitted by Newton on that visit, while the Spiritual Magazine (July 1870) cited full particulars of many cures.