Common Mystics

When 78-year-old Thomas Bell was discovered dead in his home, suspicion quickly fell on his maid, Mary Ellen Pleasant. Mystery and intrigue had always surrounded Mary Ellen. Born around 1814 in the eastern United States, she was African American but light-skinned enough to integrate into white society. She fervently supported abolitionist causes and served as a conductor on the Underground Railroa...

On this milestone episode of Common Mystics, we celebrate our 100th show with some special friends from our Tier 4 Patreon group! Edmund, Kelli, Jason, and Lisa join us for a trivia game featuring questions about the mystical sisters and past Common Mystics episodes. The winner will receive a coveted prize: a free reading with Jen and Jill. Who will emerge victorious? Tune in to find out!  Don’t m...

On this episode of Common Mystics, we uncover the untold story of a woman whose enigmatic life and startling demise remain cloaked in secrecy.* It was in September 1894, in Providence, RI, that Mrs. Emily Chambers, after resigning from her position as a live-in maid, adorned herself in her finest clothes, hired a carriage with a substantial amount of money, and vanished without a trace. Her body w...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jen and Jill delve into the enigmatic circumstances surrounding the death of a Puritan woman in 1673. Rebecca Cornell tragically perished in a fire at her Portsmouth home, a death authorities initially deemed an accident. However, the narrative took a chilling turn days later when her brother reported a ghostly visitation from Rebecca, seemingly seeking vengeance...

On this episode of Common Mystics, Jen and Jill explore the mysterious murder of Benjamin J. Burton, once Rhode Island’s most affluent Black businessman. A self-made man, Burton began his career loading cargo at the docks of Newport, RI, eventually founding an express company and establishing the city’s first mass transit system. Admired and respected, his tragic death from gunshot wounds on Octob...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jen and Jill delve into the tale of a wise woman turned vengeful witch according to a local legend. Foster, RI, now a quaint settlement, has faced numerous challenges and documented hauntings over time. The town’s struggles have been attributed to a witch named Dolly Cole, yet evidence suggests alternative origins for the negative energies. Support Common Mystics...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jen and Jill explore the mysterious death of Tom Hepburn*. Before she was a Hollywood legend, Katharine Hepburn was one six offspring of Dr. Thomas Hepburn and Katharine Houghton Hepburn. The children enjoyed a life of privilege, and were brought up in an environment of intellectual pursuits and social activism. Tom Hepburn, the eldest son and closest sibling to y...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jennifer and Jill examine the tragic life of Elizabeth Shaw.* Born in Connecticut in 1726, Elizabeth was considered a burden by her family due to perceived intellectual limitations. Unmarriable in the eyes of her community, her life took a tragic turn when she mysteriously became pregnant at age 18. The birth of her bastard child marked the beginning of a sorrowfu...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jen and Jill examine the historical context and tragic results of the Hartford Witch Panic. Nearly 30 years before the infamous Salem Witch Trials, a panic was brewing in Connecticut. Hartford residents accused their neighbors of dancing with the devil and transforming into black hounds. In 1662, four people were hanged for their alleged crimes. One of them confes...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jen and Jill discuss the life and times of Samuel Colt. Born in 1814, Colt gained fame for the invention of the revolver. Lauded as an American genius, his entrepreneurial skills made him one of the wealthiest men in the country. Yet, through their research and psychic hits, the sisters find Colt’s character stained and his legacy enmeshed with some of the bloodie...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jen and Jill analyze one of the worst flood related disasters in the history of Pennsylvania. The discovery of oil in Crawford Co. ushered in an era of industrial and economic growth in Pennsylvania's Oil Country. Rich natural resources spurred Pennsylvania's Oil Rush in the 1860's. But during this boom, the dams built to support manufacturing would put lives at r...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jennifer and Jill discuss the heartbreaking murder of two young sisters.* The Grimes were a family of nine living in a modest, working class neighborhood in 1956. Fifteen-year-old Barbara and her 12-year-old sister Patricia were close, sharing a passion for Elvis Presley. They left home one cold winter evening to see the movie Love Me Tender . They never returned....

On this episode of Common Mystics, Jennifer and Jill welcome four mystical friends to help them ring in the new year! As experts in numerology, astrology, yoga and evidential mediumship, Kayla Eickmeyer, Michelle Holland, Lauri Stern, and Denise Willis (respectively) help us understand the current vibrational shift and offer a preview of what's to come in 2024! Support Common Mystics on Patreon he...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jen and Jill delve deep into the origins of caroling. How and when did caroling begin? What is the oldest known Christmas carol? Which pagan traditions are represented in today's modern holiday songs? Tune in for the answers... and stick around for the laughs! This is easily our silliest Christmas episode to date. Best wishes to you all for a holiday season full o...

While Jen and Jill are taking the week off to research their latest psychic adventure, please enjoy this episode on the Chakra system. Chakras 101 was recently published on the Common Mystics Patreon page. It's a great example of the type of monthly content that subscribers can enjoy at tiers 3 and 4. In this episode, the sisters provide an overview of the Chakras and discuss meditative exercises...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jennifer and Jill explore the history of the Striker Cemetery and the larger Barry County area in southwest Michigan. According to local legend, the cemetery is haunted by evil spirits. So naturally, Jill and her friends went looking for them! They captured evidence of paranormal activity via audio and photos. Check out Detours 86 on Patreon on 11/23/23 and learn...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jennifer and Jill discuss the history and legends surrounding Archer Avenue, a significant southwest corridor leading out of Chicago. It all started when Jill challenged Jen to a "spook off" to determine who could do the scariest thing. So, Jen and her friend, psychic Michelle Holland, set out on one of the most haunted roads in the Chicago area, looking for ghost...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jennifer and Jill are once again joined by the amazing Nichole Bigley of A Psychic's Story podcast. Following their exploration of Cincinnati, they crossed the Ohio River into Kentucky, where a vision of soldiers ultimately led them to Evergreen Cemetery in Southgate. Who were these soldiers? Why did they lead the psychic trio to Evergreen? And most importantly, w...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jennifer and Jill are accompanied by the one and only Nichole Bigley of A Psychic's Story podcast. When the three explored the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati, the spirits delivered! Crime, corruption, soldiers, and fires were some of the hits that led them to the 1884 Cincinnati Riots. Through their research, the ladies uncovered a series of startling e...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jen and Jill unravel the events surrounding a 1981 car bombing in an affluent Chicago suburb. The crime stumped investigators. The victim was a family man and a good neighbor. Who would want him killed? Years later, a landmark investigation into one Mafia-connected family would blow the lid off decades of murderous secrets and bring the Chicago Outfit to its knees...

Common Mystics has teamed up with Access Paranormal Podcast to bring you The Boo Review, a monthly segment featured on L35 Online Radio based in the UK. In this new segment, Jennifer and Jill share vintage American ghosts stories from the newspaper archives. Told in a faux-newsy style, these short, richly atmospheric clips will transport you back in time and delight you with "true" spooky tales. ...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jennifer and Jill tell about the second Great Chicago Fire. Many know about the epic blaze that decimated the Windy City in 1871. But much less is known about the conflagration that brought the city's Union Stockyards to a halt in 1910. The conditions at this meat processing operation, while making Chicago the "hog butcher for the world," set the stage for another...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jennifer and Jill discuss the horrendous murder of the Cosden family on a quiet Maryland farm in 1851.* Thirty-year-old William Cosden was modestly successful, making just enough to raise his small family by working the rented land. But when some local ne're-do-wells stormed the farmhouse on a cold February evening, they sought mounds of cash. The scene they left...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jen and Jill sit down with the incredible Nichole Bigley, creator and host of A Psychic Story, A Psychic Story: Kids' Edition, and Supernatural Matters podcasts. Nichole discusses her early memories of being born, describes doing past life regressions with her little sister and shares some spine-tingling stories from her youth. These days Nichole is channeling ang...

On this episode of Common Mystics Jennifer and Jill give voice to the spirit of a Methodist minister with a surprising connection to the murder of Mormon leader Joseph Smith. Reverend Solomon Sharp revitalized the Methodist Episcopal church in Smyrna, Delaware with his riveting sermons and miraculous acts. In fact, decades after his death in 1830, the Smyrna Times continued to publish astounding s...