Julia Keightley
Julia Wharton Lewis Campbell Ver Planck was married to Dr. Archibald Keightley. Mrs. Keightley wrote extensively under the pseudonym Jasper Niemand. The Keightleys were active in the Theosophical Society in America, later renamed Theosophical Society, which was headed by Ernest Temple Hargrove in New York.
Early life
Julia Wharton Lewis Campbell was born into a distinguished Philadelphia family as the daughter of Judge James. W. Campbell.[1]
Julia first married Philip William Ver Planck on December 21, 1871 at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He died at the age of 32 on December 15, 1976, in Colorado.[2] They seem to have had two sons who died very young - James Campbell Ver Planck (1872 - 1875) and Gordon Ver Planck (1874 - 1875).
Encounter with Mahatma
After Mme. Blavatsky died she had the following experience:
A few days after Madame Blavatsky died, HPB awoke me at night. I raised myself, feeling no surprise, but only the sweet accustomed pleasure. She held my eyes with her leonine gaze. Then she grew thinner, taller, her shape became masculine; slowly then her features changed, until a man of height and rugged powers stood before me, the last vestige of her features melting into his, until the leonine gaze, the progressed radiance of her glance alone remained. The man lifted his head and said, "Bear witness!" He then walked from the room, laying his hand on the portrait of HPB as he passed. Since then, he has come to me several times, with instructions, in broad daylight while I was busily working, and once he stepped out from a large portrait of HPB.[3]
Writing
Jasper Niemand wrote numerous articles for Theosophical periodicals, including The Path, The Lamp, Lucifer, Theosophia, and Theosophical Quarterly. Union Index of Theosophical Periodicals lists at least 140 articles under that pseudonym.
- Sealed Instructions: An Original Comedy-drama in Four Acts, 1885. This play was performed at the Madison Square Theatre, according to Wikipedia, credited to Mrs. Julia Campbell Ver Planck.
- The Wonder-Light and other tales. True philosophy for children, 1890.
- The Vow of Poverty and Other Essays: And Other Essays, 1904.
- The Unity of Religions, 1908.
Under the same pseudonym, Mrs. Keightley also edited Letters That Have Helped Me by William Quan Judge.
Other resources
- Autograph Letters Signed from Julia Wharton Lewis Campbell Ver Planck Keightley to Augustin Daly was published in 1885.
Notes
- ↑ William Benford Aitken, Distinguished Families in America, Descended from Wilhelmus Beekman and Jan Thomasse Van Dyke (New York: Knickerbocker Press, 1912), 139. Available as Google eBook.
- ↑ Philadelphia Inquirer (December 23, 1876), 4.
- ↑ A Casebook of Encounters with the Theosophical Mahatmas Case 62, compiled and edited by Daniel H. Caldwell