View source for Joseph H. Fussell

'''Dr. Joseph Hall Fussell''' was an English Theosophist who served as a secretary to [[William Quan Judge]] and his successor, [[Katherine Tingley]]. Fussell lived for many years in the [[Point Loma]] community. 

== Early years ==

Fussell was born [[September 16]], 1863 in Basford, Nottinghamshire, England. On August 19, 1890 he arrived in the United States, and on August, 6, 1904 became a naturalized citizen.<ref>U.S. Naturalization papers. August 6, 1904. Superior Court of California in San Diego.</ref> 
In 1893 his older brother [[H. A. Fussell|Alexander]], an language teacher, followed him to the United States. By 1910 his 91-year-old father, an artist also named [[Joseph Fussell, Sr.|Joseph]], had joined his younger son in Point Loma. According to a ''New York Times'' obituary, Dr. Fussell "taught for a year in a private school at Savannah, Ga. From 1891 to 1892 he was a private tutor in New Jersey and New York city."<ref> "Dr. Joseph H. Fussell," ''New York Times'' obituary, 1942. The Associate Press item was attributed to San Diego, California on May 8.</ref>

== Theosophical Society involvement ==

While still in New York, Fussell served as private secretary to [[William Quan Judge]], from 1893 until WQJ's death. Afterward he became secretary to [[Katherine Tingley]], and continued in that role until 1929, the year she died. In 1929 he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Theosophy at the Theosophical University in [[Point Loma]].<ref> "Dr. Joseph H. Fussell," ''New York Times'' obituary, 1942.</ref>

== Freemasonry ==

Fussell was a freemason, and wrote a book ''More Light - A Study of Theosophy and Freemasonry''.  He wrote:
<blockquote>
My own interest in Freemasonry dates back to 1890 and my interest in [[Theosophy]] to the same year. Within two or three weeks after landing at New York from England, I met[[ William Q. Judge]], Co-founder with [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|Madame Blavatsk]]y of [[Theosophical Society|The Theosophical Society]] and her Successor as Leader and Teacher in the same.

Very soon afterwards, I went to Savannah, Georgia, receiving form Mr. Judge an introduction to Dr. R. J. Nunn, a Fellow of The Theosophical Society, and, as I soon learned, also a great student of Freemasonry. He was, in fact, Sovereign Grand Inspector-General 33° for Georgia. He and I very soon became very close friends, although I was a young man of about twenty-seven and he over seventy. During the eight months or so that I was in Savannah, I had the great privilege of meeting with him every Saturday evening and of discussing with him Theosophy and Freemasonry. He was a personal friend of Albert Pike and he told me many interesting things about him.<ref>Joseph E. Fussell letter to Mr. R. Ruckstell. April 24, 1930. Boris de Zirkoff Papers. Records Series 22. Theosophical Society in America Archives.</ref>
</blockquote>

== Later years ==
Mr. Fussell died on [[May 7]], 1942 in San Diego.<ref>California Death Index, 1940-1997.</ref>

== Writings ==

=== Articles ===

Fussell wrote articles for [[The Path (periodical)|''The Path'']], [[The Theosophical Forum (periodical)|''The Theosophical Form'']], and other journals. The [[Union Index of Theosophical Periodicals]] lists 43 articles under the name [http://www.austheos.org.au/cgi-bin/ui-csvsearch.pl?search=Joseph+H+Fussell&method=exact Joseph H Fussell] and 20 under the name [http://www.austheos.org.au/cgi-bin/ui-csvsearch.pl?search=JH+Fussell&method=exact JH Fussell]. These are mostly in [[The Theosophical Forum (periodical)|''The Theosophical Forum'']] and [[The  Path (periodical)|''The Path'']].

Several articles give Fussell's viewpoint on [[Katherine Tingley|Mrs. Tingley's]] claim that [[William Quan Judge]] appointed her as his successor in his diary:

* '''"Mr. Fussell Explains"''', ''The Canadian Theosophist'' (January 15, 1933), 353-356. Available at [http://blavatskyarchives.com/stokesfussell2.htm Blavatsky Archives]. 
* '''"The Point Loma View"''' ''The Canadian Theosophist'' (June 15, 1932), 126-127. [http://blavatskyarchives.com/stokesfussell.htm Blavatsky Archives].
* '''"The U.L.T. Speaks"''', ''The Theosophical Forum'' (March 15, 1933), 208-210. Available at {http://blavatskyarchives.com/stokesfussell4.htm Blavatsky Archives]. 
* '''"William Q. Judge's 'Occult Diary'"''', ''The Theosophical Forum'', (January 15, 1933), 130-131. Available at [http://blavatskyarchives.com/stokesfussell3.htm Blavatsky Archives]. 

Other articles available online:
* '''"The Significance of Easter"''', ''Sunrise'' (April/May 1999). Available at [http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/world/christ/xt-jhf.htm Theosophy-NW.org].

=== Books and pamphlets ===
* '''''Incidents in the History of the Theosophical Movement'''''. Aryan Theosophical Press, 1915. 24 pages. It is available at [https://archive.org/details/cu31924029167983 Internet Archive] and [http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/011715479 Hathitrust]. Translated into several languages.
* '''''Mrs. Besant's Policy'''''. "San Diego News" Press, 1914. 22 pages.
* '''''Mrs. Annie Besant and the Moral Code: a Protest'''''. Point Loma, San Diego, California: 1909. 15 pages. Introduction by Kenneth Morris. Available at [http://firstsearch.oclc.org/WebZ/FSPage?pagetype=return_frameset:sessionid=fsapp1-48102-hu4xxhtg-u7dxr1:entitypagenum=2:0:entityframedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.hathitrust.org%2Fapi%2Fvolumes%2Foclc%2F19233120.html:entityframedtitle=WorldCat:entityframedtimeout=45:entityopenTitle=:entityopenAuthor=:entityopenNumber=: Hathitrust], [http://firstsearch.oclc.org/WebZ/FSPage?pagetype=return_frameset:sessionid=fsapp1-48102-hu4xxhtg-u7dxr1:entitypagenum=2:0:entityframedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.archive.org%2Fdetails%2Fmrsanniebesantmo00fussrich:entityframedtitle=WorldCat:entityframedtimeout=45:entityopenTitle=:entityopenAuthor=:entityopenNumber=: Internet Archive], 
* '''''The School of Antiquity: Its Meaning, Purpose, and Scope'''''. Point Loma, San Diego, California: Aryan Philosophical Press, 1917.
* '''''Some Reasons Why the Members of the Universal Brotherhood and Theosophical Society Do Not Endorse Mrs. Besant nor the Society of Which She Is President'''''. San Diego: San Diego News Press, 1914. 19 pages.
* '''''Unofficial. No student of Theosophy, Knowing the Pure Teachings of H.P. Blavatsky ... But Will Be Pained Beyond Expression ...'''''. Point Loma, San Diego, California: 1909. 11 pages.
* '''''Theosophy and Occultism'''''.
* '''''More Light - A Study of Theosophy and Freemasonry'''''.

== Additional resources ==
* Ashcraft, W. Michael. ''The Dawn of the New Cycle: Point Loma Theosophists and American Culture''. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 2002.
* Greenwalt, Emmett A. ''California Utopia: Point Loma: 1897-1942'' 2nd revised edition San Diego, CA: Point Loma Publications, 1978.

== Notes ==
<references/>

[[Category:Point Loma|Fussell, Joseph]]
[[Category:Leaders|Fussell, Joseph]]
[[Category:Educators|Fussell, Joseph]]
[[Category:Masons|Fussell, Joseph]]
[[Category:Universal Brotherhood founders|Fussell, Joseph]]
[[Category:Nationality English|Fussell, Joseph]]
[[Category:Nationality Naturalized American|Fussell, Joseph]]