George H. Felt: Difference between revisions
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[[File:George H. Felt.jpg|right|200px|thumb|George H. Felt]] | [[File:George H. Felt.jpg|right|200px|thumb|George H. Felt]] | ||
'''George Henry Felt''' was a mechanical engineer, architect, and Egyptologist, and one of the [[Founders]] of the [[Theosophical Society]]. | '''George Henry Felt''' was a mechanical engineer, architect, and Egyptologist, and one of the [[Founders]] of the [[Theosophical Society]]. | ||
[[File:Signal Rockets diagram.png|170px|right|thumb|Signal rocket design]] | |||
== Personal life and military service == | == Personal life and military service == | ||
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J. W. Bouton intended publishing a large volume outlining Felt's discoveries, but this venture apparently did not eventuate, and only a most elaborate prospectus of this forthcoming work survives.<ref>Boris de Zirkoff, "Felt, George H." ''H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings'' Volume I (Wheaton, Illinois: Theosophical Press, 1966), 463.</ref></blockquote> | J. W. Bouton intended publishing a large volume outlining Felt's discoveries, but this venture apparently did not eventuate, and only a most elaborate prospectus of this forthcoming work survives.<ref>Boris de Zirkoff, "Felt, George H." ''H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings'' Volume I (Wheaton, Illinois: Theosophical Press, 1966), 463.</ref></blockquote> | ||
== Publications = | == Publications == | ||
* ''Lieut. Geo. Henry Felt's Patent Elastic Breech for Artillery and Heavy Ordnance with Official Reports''. New York: Willard Felt Co., 1875. | * ''Lieut. Geo. Henry Felt's Patent Elastic Breech for Artillery and Heavy Ordnance with Official Reports''. New York: Willard Felt Co., 1875. | ||
* ''The Kaballah of the Ancient Egyptians''. New York: James R. Osgood, 1873. | * ''The Kaballah of the Ancient Egyptians''. New York: James R. Osgood, 1873. | ||
* ''Proceedings of a Court of Inquiry Convened by Special Order No. 85, Headquarters Department of Washington, as the request of First Lieut. George H. Felt, 55th N. Y. S. M. and Acting Signal Officer, U. S. A.''. New York: Willard Felt & Co. 1865. 68 pages. "An inquiry upon the moral character of Lieut. George H. Felt." | |||
== Additional resources == | == Additional resources == | ||
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* [http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/olcott1890.htm# The First Leaf of T.S. History] by Henry S. Olcott | * [http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/olcott1890.htm# The First Leaf of T.S. History] by Henry S. Olcott | ||
* [http://www.ehbritten.org/docs/felt_working_group_status_report_7-18-12.pdf# Search for George H. Felt’s lost work] at Chasing Down Emma blog | * [http://www.ehbritten.org/docs/felt_working_group_status_report_7-18-12.pdf# Search for George H. Felt’s lost work] at Chasing Down Emma blog | ||
== Notes == | == Notes == | ||
Revision as of 14:15, 15 May 2020
George Henry Felt was a mechanical engineer, architect, and Egyptologist, and one of the Founders of the Theosophical Society.
Personal life and military service
Born on September 21, 1831 in Boston, Massachusetts as the son of Willard Felt and Elizabeth Lemon Glover Felt. He married Mary Anne Frain in New York, on September 23, 1854. The family had four sons and four daughters.
During the Civil War volunteered for the Union Army in July, 1861 and was mustered in as a First Lieutenant.[1][2] His unit was the 55th Regiment of Duryea Zouaves, who had a colorful uniform with a red fez and baggy red pantaloons.[3][4] He served on General Grant's staff as signal officer. His mechanical engineering skills led to invention of a flare for military communication operations, and also a detonator.[5] On August 15, 1863 he was mustered out.[6]
He died on December 9, 1906 in Milford, Pennsylvania and was buried there.[7]
Career
In 1892 he established the Felt Electrical Light and Power Company in New York to manufacture and sell electrical accumulators and batteries.
Theosophical involvement
Mr. Felt claimed to have discovered how Egyptian priests invoked and commanded the spirits of the elements. He declared he was able to demonstrate this and render them visible. On September 7, 1875, he gave a lecture at Mme. Blavatsky's rooms on the subject "The Lost Canon of Proportion of the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans." About 17 people were present. During the discussion that followed a suggestion was made that a Society be formed to pursue and promote such occult research.
The next day there was another meeting at H.P.B.'s place, The Lamasery, in which Mr. Felt lectured again. During this meeting the idea of a Society was more definitely developed, sixteen people handing in their names for that purpose. A committee of three was appointed to draft a Constitution and Bylaws.
A third lecture was given by him on September 13 at the same place, and during this meeting the name of the Theosophical Society was agreed upon.
Mr. Felt was elected as Vice-President of the Society, but failed to keep his promise. In Col. Olcott's words, "he never showed us so much as the wag of the tail of a vanishing elemental".[8]
According to historian Josephine Ransom, "Felt drifted out of The Society. He was in England in 1877 and proposed the formation of a Society for occult research, with himself as President. Nothing came of this proposal".[9]
Boris de Zirkoff wrote:
J. W. Bouton intended publishing a large volume outlining Felt's discoveries, but this venture apparently did not eventuate, and only a most elaborate prospectus of this forthcoming work survives.[10]
Publications
- Lieut. Geo. Henry Felt's Patent Elastic Breech for Artillery and Heavy Ordnance with Official Reports. New York: Willard Felt Co., 1875.
- The Kaballah of the Ancient Egyptians. New York: James R. Osgood, 1873.
- Proceedings of a Court of Inquiry Convened by Special Order No. 85, Headquarters Department of Washington, as the request of First Lieut. George H. Felt, 55th N. Y. S. M. and Acting Signal Officer, U. S. A.. New York: Willard Felt & Co. 1865. 68 pages. "An inquiry upon the moral character of Lieut. George H. Felt."
Additional resources
Articles
- James A. Santucci. "George Henry Felt: The Life Unknown". Theosophical History 6 (1997), 256.
- George Henry Felt at Signal Corps Association website
- The First Leaf of T.S. History by Henry S. Olcott
- Search for George H. Felt’s lost work at Chasing Down Emma blog
Notes
- ↑ George H Felt in the U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865.
- ↑ 1861 New York, Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts, 1861-1900.
- ↑ [http://www.fifthnewyork.com/history.html "Zouave History" in FifthNewYork.com website.
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5th_New_York_Volunteer_Infantry "5th New York Volunteer Infantry"] in Wikipedia.
- ↑ George Henry Felt at Signal Corps Association website.
- ↑ George H Felt in the U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865.
- ↑ George Henry Felt in the Pennsylvania, Veterans Burial Cards, 1777-2012.
- ↑ The First Leaf of T.S. History by Henry S. Olcott
- ↑ Josephine Ransom, A Short History of The Theosophical Society (Adyar, Madras, India: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1938), 111.
- ↑ Boris de Zirkoff, "Felt, George H." H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings Volume I (Wheaton, Illinois: Theosophical Press, 1966), 463.