Judge Albert Munson surrounded by spirits.

The Munsons were a prominent but quirky family who lived in Medina from 1877 until 1956 when the last member passed away.  The patriarch was Albert Munson, Probate Judge, state legislator and political activist. He was also a devout spiritualist and regularly held seances in his home — although he never acted as a medium.

Munson, a founder of the Republican Party in Medina County, actively supported his friend, William McKinley’s campaign for president.  After McKinley was assassinated in 1901, his spirit — according to Munson — visited the judge frequently through seances and spirit writings.

The reports of these seances are contained in Munson’s handwritten notebook, in letters written by mediums and in notes taken by Munson’s daughter, Cora Munson Blakeslee.  Transcripts of these sessions are in possession of the Medina County Historical Society.

Munson, who died in 1911, also claimed to have communicated with the spirits of Abraham Lincoln and James Garfield.  Daughter Cora said, “He was a lifelong worker in the cause — always trying to help others see the light.”

In addition to his political and spiritual activities, Albert Munson and his son, Lyman ran a successful hardware business on Public Square. The handsome Victorian building that housed the business still bears the family name.

When he was elected Probate Judge in 1877, Munson built the bracketed Italianate home seen in the picture below.  Mediums and spirits were not his only guests — he also hosted numerous social and political events for village residents.  The house is now the headquarters of the Medina Community Design Committee.

(Photos courtesy of the Medina Community Design Committee.)